Student Opportunity to Shadow Design Team

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Opportunity for two students (Grades 7-12) to shadow the design team during the renovation of Paschalville Library.


Diversified Community Services, along with DIGroupArchitecture, is seeking two motivated students (Grades 7-12) from the Paschall/Southwest neighborhood who are interested in learning about the process of design and construction. The students will ‘shadow’ the design team as we move through community engagement, design, and construction of the Paschalville Library renovation.


During monthly meetings* with DIG over the next year, the students will:


· Learn about design teams – Meet the designers and engineers whose collective efforts will contribute to the design solution and construction at Paschalville Library – architects, landscape architects, structural, civil, and MEP engineers, and construction managers

· Understand key design considerations – Walk the site and building with architects and engineers to learn about the history, existing condition, construction/materials, programming, and code challenges being considered

· Learn the language of the trades – architecture, construction, and engineering

· Learn about work settings – Visit professional offices

· Understand the needs of project end users – Participate in community engagement meetings to solicit ideas from local residents and businesses

· Learn to read building plans – the original drawings for the Library and new plans for the renovation

· Learn about design collaboration – Participate in design exercises and community presentations

· Learn about the construction process – Make site visits during construction

*Some meetings will be virtual. As possible, we will also meet in person. Actual meeting frequency may increase during different phases of the project. The time of day, dates of meetings, and meeting locations will be determined in conjunction with the students.


Student Opportunity to Shadow Design Team

Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) draws from the arts and on science. It is the art of visualizing spaces that inspire and provide comfort, that are practical and serve a purpose. At the same time, buildings carry enormous loads, handle strong winds, at times appear to defy gravity. And eventually, translated from drawings into the built world, requiring ingenuity and craftsmanship. If you notice how buildings make you feel, wonder how they’re built, and like to doodle…



Please tell us about your favorite building in your neighborhood or Philly. Include its name and address.


The written essay should be one page of text and another of photographs/google maps/inspiration images. The topics to be covered are as follows:



1. History: When was it constructed? Who designed it? What was its purpose when built? Is it of a particular architectural period/ style? Identify some of its unique characteristics.


2. Siting: Where is it located? Is there green space around it? How do people interact with it from the outside?

3. Programming: How does it serve the community today? What kinds of spaces support its purpose? For groups? For individuals?

4. Presence: How does the building make you feel? What about the building makes you feel that way – its materials/size/details; its lighting; how it sits on the land, etc.?

5. And anything else you think makes the building your favorite.

6. Finally, if you could design a building, what kind of building would it be? Please sketch/describe its siting, programming and presence. And share images of spaces that you would like inside or outside your building – inspiration images.


Video Submissions

If any of the participants would rather submit a video, clips should be at least 2 minutes in length with the student answering the above mentioned questions as well as a statement on why they would like to be selected.


Please email your essays to: Paschalville@dcsphila.org

To learn more about DIGroupArchitecture, the design team behind the library's renovation, visit: digrouparchitecture.com




Opportunity for two students (Grades 7-12) to shadow the design team during the renovation of Paschalville Library.


Diversified Community Services, along with DIGroupArchitecture, is seeking two motivated students (Grades 7-12) from the Paschall/Southwest neighborhood who are interested in learning about the process of design and construction. The students will ‘shadow’ the design team as we move through community engagement, design, and construction of the Paschalville Library renovation.


During monthly meetings* with DIG over the next year, the students will:


· Learn about design teams – Meet the designers and engineers whose collective efforts will contribute to the design solution and construction at Paschalville Library – architects, landscape architects, structural, civil, and MEP engineers, and construction managers

· Understand key design considerations – Walk the site and building with architects and engineers to learn about the history, existing condition, construction/materials, programming, and code challenges being considered

· Learn the language of the trades – architecture, construction, and engineering

· Learn about work settings – Visit professional offices

· Understand the needs of project end users – Participate in community engagement meetings to solicit ideas from local residents and businesses

· Learn to read building plans – the original drawings for the Library and new plans for the renovation

· Learn about design collaboration – Participate in design exercises and community presentations

· Learn about the construction process – Make site visits during construction

*Some meetings will be virtual. As possible, we will also meet in person. Actual meeting frequency may increase during different phases of the project. The time of day, dates of meetings, and meeting locations will be determined in conjunction with the students.


Student Opportunity to Shadow Design Team

Architecture, Construction and Engineering (ACE) draws from the arts and on science. It is the art of visualizing spaces that inspire and provide comfort, that are practical and serve a purpose. At the same time, buildings carry enormous loads, handle strong winds, at times appear to defy gravity. And eventually, translated from drawings into the built world, requiring ingenuity and craftsmanship. If you notice how buildings make you feel, wonder how they’re built, and like to doodle…



Please tell us about your favorite building in your neighborhood or Philly. Include its name and address.


The written essay should be one page of text and another of photographs/google maps/inspiration images. The topics to be covered are as follows:



1. History: When was it constructed? Who designed it? What was its purpose when built? Is it of a particular architectural period/ style? Identify some of its unique characteristics.


2. Siting: Where is it located? Is there green space around it? How do people interact with it from the outside?

3. Programming: How does it serve the community today? What kinds of spaces support its purpose? For groups? For individuals?

4. Presence: How does the building make you feel? What about the building makes you feel that way – its materials/size/details; its lighting; how it sits on the land, etc.?

5. And anything else you think makes the building your favorite.

6. Finally, if you could design a building, what kind of building would it be? Please sketch/describe its siting, programming and presence. And share images of spaces that you would like inside or outside your building – inspiration images.


Video Submissions

If any of the participants would rather submit a video, clips should be at least 2 minutes in length with the student answering the above mentioned questions as well as a statement on why they would like to be selected.


Please email your essays to: Paschalville@dcsphila.org

To learn more about DIGroupArchitecture, the design team behind the library's renovation, visit: digrouparchitecture.com



Page last updated: 21 Oct 2021, 01:57 PM