October 10, 2012—Philadelphia, PA—The Community Design Collaborative presented its Community Design Award at the AIA Philadelphia Awards for Design Excellence banquet on Wednesday, October 10, 2012. This annual award recognizes excellence in teamwork, client partnership, community engagement, design quality, and great outcomes.

The Collaborative’s 2012 Community Design Award honored two conceptual plans for neighborhood assets in South Philadelphia, the George W. Nebinger Elementary School and Weccacoe Playground. Both plans emphasize community engagement, sustainable design, and green infrastructure—and have resulted in considerable funding for improvements.

The conceptual plan for Nebinger School created a schoolyard greening strategy that includes a rain garden, outdoor classroom, edible garden, a quiet green space that supports the inclusion of children with special needs, and an active play area with a lawn and tumbling hill. Since the completion of the plan, the school has received a total of $400,000 in grants from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Partnership for Delaware Estuary, the Brazilian Ministry, and the City of Philadelphia.

Weccacoe Playground advocates worked with the Collaborative to develop a sustainable new vision for the playground that includes a water spray area, a back-to-nature obstacle course, and twenty new trees. Green stormwater infrastructure is an integral part of the recommended renovations. Recently, the City of Philadelphia committed $500,000 in funding to Weccacoe as part of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s Green2015 initiative to green recreation centers and schoolyards.

2012 Community Design Award Recipients

WECCACOE PLAYGROUND
Austin + Mergold LLC Jason Austin, LEED AP, Jessica Brown, Ann Dinh, Sally Reynolds, ASLA, Kelly Tigera
Gardner/Fox Associates Joanna Baker, Patrick Baker
Queen Village Neighbors Association Walter Lowthian

GEORGE W. NEBINGER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Studio Gaea, LLC Kimberlee Douglas, ASLA, Alexandra Zahn, AIA, ASLA
Elwell Studio Jason Elwell, AIA, ASLA
Torcon, Inc. Anthony Armento , Angela Cirino
Nicole Hotstettler
George W. Nebinger Elementary School Ralph Burnley, Principal
Bella Vista Town Watch Charles Moleski