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Village of Arts and Humanities 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Gold Medal
The Village of Arts and Humanities uses innovative arts-inspired programs to create place, build self-esteem, and foster community in north Philadelphia. In a neighborhood facing many challenges, the project has created a series of “living sculpture” art parks, restored several buildings to create community space, and engaged neighborhood children in building a community park. The village offers arts education and vocational training for youth and adults as well as other programs that serve the over 10,000 primarily low-income African-American residents.
A private, nonprofit community-based organization, the Village of Arts and Humanities began in 1986 as a summer project for local youth. It has since grown into a major provider of arts-inspired programs that focus on beautifying physical spaces to create shifts in the way residents view and value their neighborhood and themselves. A tree farm teaches important environmental lessons, and a theater gives participants the opportunity to share their stories and heal through self-expression. It remains a highly democratic grassroots organization, emphasizing empowerment and possibility in all of its endeavors.
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Swan's Marketplace 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal
Swan’s Marketplace in Oakland, California, is an adaptive reuse project incorporating and commercial and arts space in a historic market complex. The renovation restored eight buildings on a shared block in Old Oakland, relocated the vendors of the landmark Housewives Fresh Food Market, and added office space and several retail and restaurant tenants. Twenty market-rate condominiums and 18 affordable housing units were created, and a Museum of Children’s Art adds to the diverse mix of available activities and programs. A shared courtyard and community garden physically connect the project components and create a sense of community that serves the project’s mission to revitalize the neighborhood.
Swan’s Market was made possible by a successful public-private partnership. It succeeded in eliminating blight in the neighborhood while preserving its historic character and attracting middle- and upper-income residents without displacing existing residents and businesses. New businesses have taken root, further boosting the area’s economic vitality and stability.
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South Platte River Greenway 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal
The South Platte River Greenway in Denver is 67 miles of recreational greenway, restored river and wildlife habitat, and riverfront development. Before the establishment of the Platte River Development Committee in 1974, the river was seriously polluted and unfit for recreational use. The project fully reclaimed the river and its banks and opened them to recreational and mixed-use development, including community parks, continuous biking and hiking paths, and boating as well as residential, commercial, and entertainment venues such as sport arenas, museums, an amusement park, and a mega sporting goods store. Development is balanced with an abundance of open space and preserved wildlife habitat.
A series of 17 interconnected urban parks connect the city of Denver to the greenway, and educational programs promote stewardship and environmental awareness. A historic trolley runs along portions of the greenway and connects with an urban light rail system for easy access to the area.
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents world-class performers, promotes local artists, and provides arts education and community space in Newark. An arts complex with a social conscience, NJPAC includes two performances venues, rehearsal spaces, social spaces, special events rental space, and the Lucent Technology Center for Arts Education, which includes classrooms, practice rooms, and performance spaces for students. An outdoor plaza connects the center to the street, and a 1,700-space parking garage and nearby mass transit stations provide easy access to the center.
Open since 1997, NJPAC has been an important engine of cultural and economic renewal in America’s third oldest city. It has helped improve the reputation and image of Newark and contributed to a new sense of community pride.
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Lower East Side Tenement Museum 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence - Silver Medal
The Lower East Side Tenement Museum in Manhattan is a tenement building preserving the history of immigrant and migrant experiences. The museum presents their stories to promote tolerance, historical perspective, and public dialogue on contemporary issues. The building itself housed nearly 7,000 people from over 20 countries between 1863 and 1935. Its preservation and dedication to educating the public about the immigrant experience challenges the assumptions of what buildings and stories are worth preserving.
The museum offers a variety of programs including interpretive and hands-on experiences, classes and workshops, and community services. Visitors are asked to set aside their assumptions and listen to stories of first-hand experiences of life as an immigrant in a low-income neighborhood on the Lower East Side. The museum fosters understanding and empathy while celebrating the bravery and resilience of the working class residents who have played such a profound role in shaping America’s identity.
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Village of Arts and Humanities case study
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Lower East Side Tenement Museum case study
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center case study
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South Platte River Greenway case study
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Swan's Marketplace case study
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Village of Arts and Humanities application
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Swan's Marketplace application
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South Platte River Greenway application
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center application
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Lower East Side Tenement Museum application
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Placemaking for Change: 2001 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence
