Passyunk & 8th
PHILADELPHIA, 2021
With support from Velocity Fund and in collaboration with Vamos Juntos and Fleisher Art Memorial, Alumbra worked with youth from vulnerable backgrounds in South Philadelphia,to transform a vacant lot into a nighttime destination. The temporary light art installation was collectively designed and fabricated, reinforcing cultural and social identity, public engagement and the reclamation of public space in the context of the COVID pandemic.
What for?
Communities need open, welcoming spaces where they can feel safe and comfortable. Public spaces are essential in t creating a sense of place, connecting diverse people, and helping build inclusive neighborhoods. Studies during COVID presented a significant need for open spaces that promote outdoor activities and strengthen community cohesion.
Where?
The students imagined the kind of public spaces they needed, with an emphasis on a healthier and happier community life and cultural identity.
They chose to transform an underused lot in a strategically located neighborhood with a predominantly Latin population.
How?
LABORATORY:
LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In both the virtual and face-to-face workshops we used light as a tool for expression and transformation.
Youth learned to approach light from a different perspective– not only as functional, but also as a medium to create atmosphere, convey messages and express emotions. This served as an interesting introduction to the role light plays in our lives.
COLLECTIVE CREATION
We applied our placemaking approach to reimagine the space, transforming it into a nighttime destination where diverse interests and ideas could converge.
Through observation and participatory assessment, youth identified the spaces’ needs and opportunities, collectively designing the intervention.
A final outdoor fabrication workshop was held between the youth participants and members of the community, interested in the transformation taking place, where they collectively created the light installation.
What?
The participants built light modules/boxes using translucent materials and colored light bulbs.
They then decorated their boxes individually or in pairs, following the theme of nature and community they selected as a group.
This will become a temporal night-destination, a community-owned environment.
The community reclaimed the space for one night in which the young people organized various activities. The event provided a nighttime destination for community cohesion and socializing that had been limited in the context of the pandemic.
Who?
Amara, 19 y/o (Vamos Juntos)
I loved learning about light in our lives - not only for security purposes but as an art form.
I think the project brought the community together, seeing all the young people from different organisations meeting and sharing ideas was really nice.
(About the event) I’ve seen a lot of people being attracted to the lights so I can imagine more people coming to the space.
Seinn,13 y/o (Fleisher Art Memorial)
We had a great time today…
I was really afraid that when I go to high school I wouldn’t be able to make friends, but I just made some friends and got to know them, so I feel that I’m going to be ok.
Jan (Fleisher Art Memorial)
Today was really fun! I feel like I can relate to everybody here, and everyone is on the same page as me so I don’t feel all left out.
A neighbour in the event
I was running on Washington Avenue about 4 hours ago and I saw it being set up and I called a friend and decided to show up…
And yeah, it’s been wonderful to see it! there is something contagious about having a bunch of children, strangers and artists get together and take over land that people think its forgotten.
ALUMBRA is a project by Colectivo Barrio
Iniciativa Ciudadana para el Desarrollo Barrial A.C.
