From Eliza French. Follow her on Twitter @elizaenbref; email her at eliza[AT]borderstan.com.
Borderstan residents who are curious about the coming transformations in the neighborhood and city can attend a panel next week for a glimpse into the future.
An illustration of the 11th Street Bridge Park.
This Thursday, February 21, The District Architecture Center will host a panel discussion connecting two of the city’s most talked about infrastructure initiatives — Dupont Underground and the 11th Street Bridge Park — to an upcoming cultural park project in Philadelphia, the Reading Viaduct.
This isn’t the first recent discussion in DC to draw connections among urban renewal projects in DC and those in other major cities.
Last fall, a research initiative by Dupont Underground, Provisions Library and the Goethe Institut inspired the Parks & Passages: Inspiration from Berlin for Washington’s Dupont Underground exhibit at the Goethe-Institut Washington.
The research was also the subject of a panel featuring a representative from the DC Office of Planning, a key advisor for the High Line in New York and the project developer leading the effort to reclaim the site of the old Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.
Instead of drawing international connections, Thursday’s panel will focus mainly on renewal of civic spaces here in DC and another prominent American city, Philadelphia. If you wonder what is next for Dupont Underground or the 11th Street Bridge Park, next Thursday is the day to find out those details.
According to the event webpage, those in attendance will be able to “describe the ambitious project proposed for what used to be a trolley station underneath Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle,” and be able to “describe the plans for Washington DC’s first elevated park [11th Street Bridge Park].”
Emily Badger, staff writer at The Atlantic Cities, will moderate the “Metamorphosis: Infrastructure to Urban Spaces” discussion this week. Three panelists, one representative of each of the three projects, will join her in conversation.
All of the speakers will examine the common “process of engaging nearby residents, fundraising, design competitions and challenges encountered along the way.” They will also present specific plans for their respective projects.
To learn more about the panel and to register online, visit the event website. There is a $10 fee to attend.
- What: Metamorphosis: Infrastructure to Urban Spaces
- When: Thursday, February 21
- When: District Architecture Center, 421 7th Street NW
Get an RSS Feed for all Borderstan stories or subscribe to Borderstan’s daily email newsletter.
