March 17, 2011

Drexel is beginning a major planning initiative with the Boston-based firm Goody Clancy, a firm of 100 architects, preservationists, planners and urban designers, to create a new Drexel Master Plan to address all Drexel campuses and our relationships with our surrounding neighborhoods for the decades to come.  This year’s 2011 Interdisciplinary Charrette entitled “Paths Portals & Places: Re-Thinking the Drexel Campus,” organized by the department of Architecture & Interiors is a tremendous opportunity for students from all Drexel Schools and Colleges to participate in the process. 

This fourth annual Design Charrette is a weekend of intense brainstorming and collaborative design, focusing on issues defined by students, challenges and the potential for our campus. The Charrette will take place from April 1st through April 4th in the Main Building, 4th floor studios (32nd & Arch Sts). The Charrette brings students from all across the Drexel community together in a design process that’s intended to generate solutions for future directions of our campus.  Working in small teams, students will research, develop, document and present original design proposals. We are looking for any Drexel student, in all majors and departments, to participate in the Charrette. If you are interested please email charrette@drexel.edu for registration information.

To kickoff the Charrette there will be a panel discussion of invited professionals, including David Dixon from Goody Clancy and Jose Almanana from landscape architectural firm Andropogon, presenting expert views on campus planning on Friday, April 1st at 6 PM in Stein Auditorium, Nesbitt Hall (3215 Market St.). During the weekend, faculty members and representatives from Goody Clancy will engage student teams in planning exercises that will re-imagine selected parts