As Spiro Kostof says, “In cities only change endures. Patterns of habitation are provisional, transformed by the ebb and swell of residency…” Cities are constantly evolving. Responding to economic pressures, demographic shifts, infrastructural challenges, advancements in technology and ever moving real estate trends. As identified by this week’s readings, there are various guiding powers informing the incremental processes of urban change: religious doctrines; social consensus; economic development; political strategies. Each present a sustained push for urban change through collective actions.
In the case of Philadelphia, similar to other Rust Belt cities like Detroit and Baltimore, much of the city has been abandoned due to suburban flight and divestment of industry. As the city has worked to change this urban pattern, new systems of approach have been established. Community Design Collaborative’s program Infill Philadelphia, a design competition seeking innovative designs and ideas, presents a social mission to incrementally reframe the image of Philadelphia: the city as an urban haven for community engagement and sustainable intervention. Collaborations between community board members, citizens, government representatives, and the design community produce both small and large scale approaches to implementing infill development throughout the vacant regions across the city. This approach often challenges the standard local government response to condemn and demolish properties without regard to the impact on the urban fabric and neighborhood morale.
By prioritizing social values and incorporating community involvement, the Community Design Collaborative provides an opportunity for engaging and critical incremental change.
