PORTLAND OR | 2024-2025

Catalyzing a neighborhood development: grounded in community and driven by a new economic base for downtown buildings

An innovation campus for the next generation of footwear and apparel at the center of a district-scale development project in Portland’s Old Town Neighborhood.

PORTLAND OR | 2025

Reimagining vacant spaces as a catalyst for the community’s creative energy

A project to fill empty storefronts with creative tenants, providing opportunity for small businesses and generating new vitality for the City of Portland.

NORTH EAST PA | 2024 - 2025

Revitalizing a small rural town through adaptive re-use, urban design, and new place-based programs

A town that flourishes with a resilient and generative local economy grounded in agriculture and food, activated by hospitality, and stitched together with programs that foster connections between people and with nature.

DETROIT MI | 2023-2024

Designing a new workplace model to enhance creative, inclusive, technical, and social innovation

Michigan Central (a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company) was converting a historic train station and surrounding buildings into an innovation campus for mobility and society. The CEO came to us to design a workspace in the station building.

We conceptualized and designed the “sprint studio” – a unique work environment, technology stack, and service offering that is purpose-built for the future of creative, inclusive, technical and social innovation.

PORTLAND OR | 2022

Proposing an alternative visioning and governance framework to keep community benefits at the heart of a district development

After decades of acquiring industrial land, OMSI, a well-loved cultural institution, is developing a mixed use neighborhood in Portland’s Central Eastside. OMSI engaged us to develop a deep community listening process to identify tangible urban design strategies that align with the district vision and masterplan.

We delivered community ideas – but also reimagined the development tool that would bring them to life. The Civic Value Framework is a governance-based approach to community benefits, designed to discover and create civic value at every stage of the development process.

FOGO ISLAND NF | 2022

Launching a new information approach to promote local spending and support the economic vitality of communities

Shorefast is a Canadian foundation that builds, learns, and shares economic development practices that activate the assets of local places. They came to us to explore and expand a simple tool to inform consumer spending so that every dollar can support local community economies.

Working closely with the Shorefast team, we developed Economic Nutrition, modeling its growth path and impact, and creating a website, communications, visual identity, video, pilot project, and strategic roadmap.

VERNON CA | 2023

Defining a healthy future for a historically industrial city

For over a century, the City of Vernon has been an industrial zone with a reputation for environmental hazards. In 2023, Vernon’s leadership committed to becoming a city for production and living, through significant redevelopment. They came to us for urban design strategies to enhance public health.

Together with a public health consultancy, we created an analysis and report on Place-based Factors of Public Health. Creative and high-impact solutions will align urban design and economic development with the wellbeing of Vernon’s future population.

BOSTON MA | 2024

Guiding a transition to inclusive youth athletics programs, district-wide

The City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office and Public School Athletics Department recognized the need to invest in a transition to high-quality and inclusive athletics, district-wide. They came to us for a strategic roadmap.

We developed a capacity analysis and engagement, and delivered user profiles, a clear vision, and a strategic roadmap. With a deep understanding of needs – students, staff, and families alike – and strategic opportunities, the city will catalyze the transition to future inclusive athletics programs.