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"The Urban Studio Project is a combination of higher educational learning and unique civic service." Penn State
student Maria Louca explains her design to Mayor
Stephen R. Reed. The Harrisburg Urban Studio formally began operations on March 2, 2005 at the Harrisburg Transportation Center. Mayor Reed declared the day "Harrisburg Urban Studio Grand Opening Day." The Transportation Center space provides a strategic location for architecture students from the state's leading schools to work in the City as part of their urban design and planning education. "This is a collective effort to bring the talent, creativity, zeal and energy of architectural and urban planning students and faculty of different colleges and universities into a hands-on learning experience by applying those attributes to creating urban renaissance projects in Harrisburg," the Mayor said during the press conference. One of the goals of the Urban Studio is to combine education with community involvement. "The Urban Studio Project is a combination of higher educational learning and unique civic service," Mayor Reed said. "In undertaking projects in Harrisburg, they will infuse the idealism and energy of college-level young Americans into Harrisburg's continuing renewal." During the ceremony 60 Penn State and HACC second-year architecture students presented designs for a mixed-use building for the empty lot at 1212 Market Street in Harrisburg. The students presented their projects in a variety of ways including digital presentations and three-dimensional models. "The scope of the student work is very impressive," Robert Philbin, one of the founders of the Urban Studio, said. "Their creative drive and imaginative use of the urban context in the service of very high ethical purpose will infuse our neighborhoods with a new pride and organic vitality." Luke Havrilla, Katie Kincel,
Kevin Morelock, Andrew Wienheimer and Nick Dilisio
discuss some of the digital presentations created
by PSU students. HACC participants included: Natasha Tanno, Connor Pitetti, Kevin Finegan, Nicholas McDonough, Johannes Boland, Dwight Engel, Jeff Henninger and Zach Murin. Professor Bruce Quigley instructs the HACC design studio and Lisa Iulo, Loukas Kalisperis, Alexandra Staub and Jason Boris are the Penn State professors. Pennsylvania's leading architecture colleges will send students to study, design and build in the Harrisburg Urban Studio. A number of architects, engineers, contractors and construction products firms are actively supporting the Urban Studio. "Harrisburg is making a very conscious effort to create a significant presence of higher education in this City's life," the Mayor said. "Doing so offers strategic economic, social and cultural benefits." Representatives from the schools of architecture at Carnegie-Mellon University, Penn State, Messiah College, HACC as well as Auburn University's Rural Studio are part of the task force to establish the Harrisburg Urban Studio. "Looking to the future, we envision that the Urban Studio Project will be the vibrant center for applied research and skill for students from colleges and universities across our State. Nothing like this exists anywhere else in Pennsylvania, which makes the Harrisburg Project unique," Mayor Reed added. The Harrisburg Urban Studio is modeled after Auburn University's infamous Rural Studio, a program that provides architectural students with a practical learning experience while enhancing the environment of disadvantaged communities. Mayor Reed initiated the Urban Studio during a live panel discussion aired by WITF in March of 2004. For further information contact Nathan Pigott, Hershey Philbin Associates, at npigott@hersheyphilbin.com or 717.975.2148. (Click Here for More Photos from the Grand Opening) |
