ELP Class Project | Playground at CityWalk @ Akard

 

Our Emerging Leaders Class project involves designing and producing the construction documents for a future playground at CityWalk @ Akard.  We are also fundraising for the playground and will be coordinating its construction.

CityWalk @ Akard (CityWalk), which opened in 2010, is a mixed-use building at 511 North Akard in downtown Dallas that includes 206 residential units.  200 units are affordable housing units, and 50 of those units are dedicated as housing for the formerly homeless.  CitySquare (previously known as Central Dallas Ministries) was the organization that formed City Walk’s nonprofit developer, the CDCDC (Central Dallas Community Development Corporation).  CitySquare offices inside the building and provides resources onsite to the residents of the building.  The 50 units which are set aside for the formerly homeless provide homes with privacy and dignity for those who previously did not have any place to call home (except perhaps a shelter), and the onsite services provided by CitySquare help to give them a second chance to reintegrate back into society. 

Particularly since 142 of the 206 units in the building are small efficiency units, the CDCDC did not anticipate having many children as residents.  However there are now 38 children, many of them quite young, living in the building with no public playground nearby.  There is no open space onsite to locate a playground, but the CDCDC and CityWalk management would like for a play area to be located at the building’s old loading dock area, which currently does not have a programming function.  The space is a long and narrow area, enclosed on three sides, which will need to be built up in platforms (with ADA access incorporated) due to the 4’ drop down from the door that leads out to the space.  The awkward nature of the space has so far prohibited CityWalk from being able to receive donations from nonprofit organizations that provide more standardized playgrounds.  The CDCDC and CityWalk Community Life Team, which is made up of staff and volunteers at CityWalk, is excited about the opportunity to collaborate with the AIA Dallas Emerging Leaders Program Class of 2012 for the design, fundraising, and construction of the new play area.  They want the play area to be a unique space which will give the Community Life Team the chance to expand their support programs for the children residing at CityWalk.     

As an adaptive reuse in downtown Dallas with affordable housing, CityWalk @ Akard is a sustainable project both in an environmental context and a social context.  In addition to designing, fundraising for, and coordinating the construction of the children’s play area, we have the opportunity to advocate for those who are homeless and those who are transitioning out of homelessness.  We are optimistic about the potential of our public relations efforts to raise public awareness of CityWalk and as well as awareness to solutions for ending homelessness. 

ELP June 2012 Class

ELP June 2012 Class:  Panel Discussion Topic:  Political | Community Activism

Panelists:

                Zaida Basora, FAIA, City of Dallas

                Kevin Falconer, AIA, Brinker International/City of Carrollton City Council

                Amy Wallace Cowen, Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce

June’s ELP Class took place at the Trinity River Audubon Center in South Dallas.  With a diverse group of panelist, the class explored a wide range of ways in which to plug themselves into their community and then use that experience to help guide their career paths.  Reintroduced was a theme heard throughout the year:  just say ‘yes’ when asked to volunteer and the opportunities to engage will follow.  Whether it be getting involved for your children’s sake or participating in individual task groups, small steps eventually evolve into leadership opportunities.  Each panelist seemed to have sought out a means by which to support a cause in which they were passionate.  The more involved and up to date they became, the more their network grew, facilitating their career trajectory.  As is often the case when taking steps to engage ones time in extracurricular activities, work/life balance may be affected.  The panelists stressed the importance of setting priorities and taking the time to periodically access and readjust.  Finally, as a great transition to Pete’s upcoming discussion on team work, the panelists were asked how they have been successful in the past in getting people to work together.  Each felt it was important to understand the problem and then find common ground among those involved.  Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty nor should you be afraid to fail.

Pete took the discussion of working together further by introducing the Model for Team Building.  However, to first understand how to build a successful team, we needed to learn just what a team was.  Unlike a Group [individuals who gather and witness something together] or an Association [individuals who voluntarily gather and witness something together], a Team is made up individuals which voluntarily gather and then act upon an event together.  They rely on each other to perform a task in a specified amount of time. 

To be successful, team members must first understand who they are and what expertise they bring to the table.  Once this is established, the team member begins to recognize, accept, and then trust the other team members, recognizing the role they play.  Without these first steps, there can be an atmosphere of fear and mistrust leading to apathy and competition amongst members.

The next step in team building is to discuss and understand its goal.  By knowing each individual’s strengths, the team may productively begin to work together providing each other with spontaneous feedback. Ultimately, the successful team will operate by means of an interdependence relationship where each member is mutually dependent on others as opposed to a dependence relationship where some members are dependent and some are not.

As an interactive illustration of how to build a successful team, the group headed outside to work in teams of six.  Each team designed a process by which to toss tennis balls in a set pattern.  The goal was to increase capacity and thru-put.  Each team crafted their own style which was then demonstrated for the entire class.  Finally, the three teams combined, adjusted their systems to operate together, and ultimately succeeded in completing the task.  The lesson learned was to communicate, offer feedback to members on what was needed, and continually assess the team’s progress.

by Karen M. Thrasher, t. howard + associates