Honor Award

Above Below Beyond

Diana Fernandez Assoc. ASLA; Susan Kolber Student Affiliate ASLA; and Amy Syverson Assoc. ASLA Undergraduate, Temple University and The University of Pennsylvania
Faculty Advisors: Stuart Appel FASLA and Lolly Tai, FASLA, Temple University; Julie Beckman and Ariel Genadt, University of Pennsylvania

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    As students of both landscape architecture and architecture we were inspired by this incredible site through our studio projects. We wanted to spread the word about Philadelphia’s dormant Reading Railroad.
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    Image: Student Team

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    The former Reading Railroad right of way extends from Boat House Row, under Pennsylvania Avenue, through Callowhill and into Chinatown. Nearly 3 miles long, the corridor runs underground in a tunnel, through an open air trench and onto an elevated trestle.
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    Image: Student Team

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    By printing and distributing 300 newspaper-style “Exhibit Catalogs” we hoped to generate buzz about the Reading Railroad and its potential for development as a public space.
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    Through kickstarter.com $6165 was raised over 21 days from 104 backers to fund the creation of Above Below Beyond. Our amazing backers, most of whom we had never met, truly believed in what we were doing.
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    Our storefront window was designed using 200 jars, 100 led lights with coin batteries attached, 200 yards of fishing line, discarded wood pallets, various artifacts and materials from the railroad.
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    Image: Student Team

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    During the city-wide Design Philadelphia festival and for the 6 weeks following, the Next City office and “The Storefront for Urban Innovation,” were transformed into an installation all about the railroad and student responses to this inspiring place.
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    Throughout the exhibit, the Next City space facilitated events, meetings and dialogues of all kinds. In these diagrams, the dots represent how people filled the exhibit location at different times.
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    From event space to office space, we took advantage of the storefront, keeping open hours 7 days a week for 6 weeks. The exhibit culminated in a panel discussion that explored how student involvement can encourage development.
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    The comprehensive study of inventory and analysis completed by students for their studio courses were hung on the walls to introduce visitors to the site. A wide variety of analysis and map graphics were displayed.
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    The student work showed examples of how design concepts come to life. The exhibit encouraged visitors to imagine their own scenarios for re-development.
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    To extend the reach of these ideas, we created “trading cards” for visitors to take home. We also created an “exhibit supplement” full of case studies of similar, successful projects that were completed as part of the Temple Studio.
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    Our railroad corridor has 4 basic typical sections. We provided postcards of these sections so visitors could leave their own ideas behind. We were thrilled with the results!
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    The aim of Above Below Beyond was to use student’s work to generate buzz and encourage the development of the Reading Railroad as a public space. We were pleased to be featured in local, national and international media.
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Project Statement

Through a six-week open exhibit and the distribution of an “Exhibit Catalog,” Above Below Beyond has helped to spread the word about the potential of Philadelphia’s Reading Railroad as a public, regenerative space. Landscape architecture and architecture student work provided site context, graphic imaging, and programmatic scenarios. By sharing the often-untapped resource of student work with the public, we helped to start conversations about the future of this amazing railroad.

Project Narrative

In the fall of 2012, three students, two in landscape architecture and one in architecture, collaborated to create Above Below Beyond, an exhibition of student design work inspired by Philadelphia’s Reading Railroad. Passionate about the potential of this abandoned railroad, we wanted to make years of student research, interest, and ideas inspired by the site available to the public in order to encourage the railroad’s development. Above Below Beyond was meant as a springboard and a catalyst, a conversation starter that could help spread the word about this historic infrastructure. We hoped that the often-overlooked troves of student work created about such inspiring places every year could be seen as a resource that could aid visionaries, community members and stakeholders in realizing the potential of such forgotten places.

The Above Below Beyond project culminated in a six-week open exhibit that was documented through our website, abovebelowbeyond.org, and in a run of 300 newspaper-style “Exhibit Catalogs.” Catalog copies were mailed or hand delivered to city officials, design professionals, community members, the non-profits working to promote the railroad’s development, educational institutions, and to local media outlets.

We raised $6165 for Above Below Beyond through the online crowdsourcing platform, Kickstarter.com. Over 21 days 104 backers donated between $5 and $500 each to support our cause. In return, our backers received varying prizes, including information about the site, invitations to meet with us at the exhibit, tours of the railroad corridor, exhibit catalogs, and railroad section postcards with which to share their own thoughts. The Kickstarter campaign web page was also well utilized as a quick introduction to the railroad.

Local, national and international media covered the Above Below Beyond exhibit. We were featured in ArchDaily, Inhabitat, Next City, The 34th Street Magazine, The Temple News, the Design Philadelphia Shaker and Curbed Philly.

We are continuing our efforts of promoting the development of the site through the following media outlets:

abovebelowbeyond.org
www.facebook.com/AboveBelowBeyond
www.kickstarter.com/projects/348743890/above-l-below-l-beyond-futures-for-a-former-railro

 

Additional Project Credits

Kate Holmquist – Next City Intern

Kira Simon-Kenndy – Kickstarter Manager

Aaron Goldblatt – Exhibit Designer

ViaductGreene – Non-profit Promoting the Development of The Former Reading Railroad in Philadelphia

WellsAppel – Landscape Architecture and Planning Firm

Temple Univeristy School of Environmental Design

University of Pennsylvania

Thanks to Temple University, Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, School of Environmental Design
Senior Studio, Spring 2012:

Holly Bonacum

David Bilinski

Cindy Culp

Felicia DiPietro

Nickia Dixon

Marquita Heard

Aaron Karnas

W. John Keiser III

Dennis Murphy

Peter Marotta

Matthew Nelson

Leah Purdy

Kelsey Stanton

John Tallon

Patrick Whealton

Thanks to the University of Pennsylvania Architecture Department Senior Studio, Spring 2012:

Blanca Abramek

Caroline Acheatal

Noor Al Awadhi

Sam Beattie

Laura Bridgman

Nhat Dang

Laura Dean

Marvin Harris

Olivia Haas

Dan Hawkins

Garvin Hunt

Ariana Galan Montas

Juliet Gensemer

Katie Jones

Joanna Karaman

Miya Lee

Ryan Leifield

Ella Ye Lu

Brittni Luke

Natalia Reina

Catherine Ozdrizek

Noelle Tay

Alicia Willet

Tina Xie

Liz Young

 

Funding was generously provided by Above Below Beyond's 104 Kickstarter Backers

Manager Kickstarter Campaign: Kira Simon-Kennedy

Directed & Video of Kickstarter Video: Warren Jones

Installers of Exhibit: Sam Beattie, Kate Jones, Kate Holmquist, Jared Dubin, Kira Simon-Kennedy,
Laura Kolber, and Harry Jarin

Exhibit, Storefront Designer & Installer: Kate Holmquist, Next City’s

Panel Discussion Event: Liz Maillie, Next City’s

Exhibit Designer & Layout: Aaron Goldblattice

Paint & Weekly Meetings Place: Wells Appel

Exhibit Marketing: Holly Bonacum

Research & Timeline Events: Patrick Whealton and Cindy Culp

Panel Speakers: Mark B. Thompson, Paul vanMeter, John Struble, Ashby Leavell, and Ariel Genadt

Panel Moderator: Diana Lind, Next City’s Executive Director and Editor in Chief

Events Concessions: Milk and Honey and Yards Brewery

Printer of Catalog: The Newspaper Club