The Westphal College of Media Arts and Design presents the 2023 Interdisciplinary Design Charrette led by award-winning design practice Höweler + Yoon.

Conceived around the new FloatLab project at Bartram’s Garden, the challenge asked participants to engage issues of ecoliteracy--understanding relationships between everyday experiences of the natural world and larger ecological, climatic, and environmental systems. Teams constructed an exquisite corpse model of the site and utilized a kit of parts to develop interventions for sitting, viewing, and signaling.  

Students used stilts to experience and observe Bartram’s Garden in a new way. This sectional displacement asked students to consider how changing our eye level can instigate fresh ways of engaging the natural environment. 

To understand key ecological, infrastructural, and architectural features of Bartram’s Garden--including those that might be hidden from view--each team built a 400’ x 400’ portion of the site, translating their observations into a shared base model.

Teams explored hybrid functionality and sustainable material ethics by repurposing the stilts into interventions to support the community and mission of Bartram’s Garden. 

CHARRETTE EVENT PHOTOS 

Google Photo Album

2023 PROJECT INFORMATION

Charrette Brief [Download PDF]

Charrette Schedule [Download PDF] 

CHARRETTE RESOURCES

Howeler + Yoon. "Architectures of Ecoliteracy." 2015

CHARRETTE INFO

WHAT: 2023 Interdisciplinary Design Charrette

WHEN: Friday, April 14 - Sunday April 16, 2019

WHERE: URBN Center 4th floor / Bartram's Garden

WHO: Open to all Drexel University Students

REGISTRATION

All Drexel students are encouraged to participate in a weekend of creative brainstorming and collaborative design to advance equity and access to the natural environment in Southwest Philadelphia.

Registration Closed

CHARRETTE SPONSORS

Rankin Scholar Fund

Westphal College of Media Arts and Design 

The Good Idea Fund 

Wexford Science & Technology 

INTECH Construction 

Tim Haahs & Associates 

OLIN Studio 

WRT Planning + Design 

Plaza Art Supply 

Susan Weiler 

Alan Greenberger