Housing Hilltop
Tacoma, WAOpen space, Recreation, Housing, Mobility, Community Engagement
With Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail Extension scheduled to reach Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood this year (2023), an new speculative developments continuing to drive-up property taxes and market rents, the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) asked a team of architects, artists, engineers, and planners and urban designers to design a coordinated set of affordable buildings, open spaces, and community-oriented programs for local residents, business owners, and neighborhood groups facing the pressures of displacement. In 2016, the Tacoma Housing Authority transitioned planning and urban design services to Northwest Studio and expanded the scope to include facilitation surrounding Sound Transit’s planned streetscape improvements for station access.
References and Diagrams
Reports
To design a process to design change, the team reached out to community partners and residents to co-develop interactive workshops that would provide historically disadvantaged stakeholders with an open seat at the design table, helping to define the scope and requirements for the project, voice critical perspectives and experiences, communicate histories, and directly affect the project’s Vision for change. The effort garnered a mix of public funding, pro-bono, and in-kind service contributions that allowed the project to expand its reach through a series of neighborhood events, including block parties, movie nights, traveling public art exhibits, and street fairs.
The first workshop was held on “Movie Night”. Held in the Key Bank Building during the evening, movies were shown for approximately 75 children and grown-ups, and community members had the opportunity to explore the neighborhood asset floor map.
The workshop was held at the “Hilltop Block Party”. Held in People’s Park, over 400 community members celebrated their neighborhood with food, local performers, artists, and activities.
A third workshop took place at the “Hilltop Street Fair”. Held along MLK and the surrounding blocks, this annual event is the Hilltops celebration of summer and community. This year between 12,000 and 15,000 people were estimated to have attended.
Throughout these events hosted by Housing Hilltop, local artists presented residents with a door on which they were asked to write their hopes for the future of the Hilltop Neighborhood. Photos of residents interacting with the sculpture were taken for display within the neighborhood, and for constant reference by future design teams working in the Hilltop Neighborhood.
That diverse array of engagement activities enabled generations of stakeholders, that may have not been connected with the work, to provide input and feedback. David Cutler led the project, which he began while Director of Planning and Urban Design at GGLO. The Tacoma Housing Authority transitioned planning and urban design services to Northwest Studio in 2016 and expanded the scope to include facilitation surrounding Sound Transit’s planned streetscape improvements for station access.
The first workshop was held on “Movie Night”. Held in the Key Bank Building during the evening, movies were shown for approximately 75 children and grown-ups, and community members had the opportunity to explore the neighborhood asset floor map.
The workshop was held at the “Hilltop Block Party”. Held in People’s Park, over 400 community members celebrated their neighborhood with food, local performers, artists, and activities.
A third workshop took place at the “Hilltop Street Fair”. Held along MLK and the surrounding blocks, this annual event is the Hilltops celebration of summer and community. This year between 12,000 and 15,000 people were estimated to have attended.
Throughout these events hosted by Housing Hilltop, local artists presented residents with a door on which they were asked to write their hopes for the future of the Hilltop Neighborhood. Photos of residents interacting with the sculpture were taken for display within the neighborhood, and for constant reference by future design teams working in the Hilltop Neighborhood.
That diverse array of engagement activities enabled generations of stakeholders, that may have not been connected with the work, to provide input and feedback. David Cutler led the project, which he began while Director of Planning and Urban Design at GGLO. The Tacoma Housing Authority transitioned planning and urban design services to Northwest Studio in 2016 and expanded the scope to include facilitation surrounding Sound Transit’s planned streetscape improvements for station access.
Information
Location
Tacoma, Washington
Client
Tacoma Housing Authority︎︎︎
Status
Engagement and Planning: 2016
Program
Open space, Recreation, Housing, Mobility
Size:
51 blocks
Collaborators
Architect of Record: GGLO︎︎︎
Arts & Engagement: Chris & Kenji
Real Estate Advisor: Heartland︎︎︎
Transportation: Fehr & Peers︎︎︎
Engineering: KPFF︎︎︎
Tacoma, Washington
Client
Tacoma Housing Authority︎︎︎
Status
Engagement and Planning: 2016
Program
Open space, Recreation, Housing, Mobility
Size:
51 blocks
Collaborators
Architect of Record: GGLO︎︎︎
Arts & Engagement: Chris & Kenji
Real Estate Advisor: Heartland︎︎︎
Transportation: Fehr & Peers︎︎︎
Engineering: KPFF︎︎︎