Community Wish Comes True

As part of Richmond’s Folk Music Festival – one of the most popular events in Virginia welcoming thousands of visitors from around the country – the installation is an opportunity to engage the community in envisioning the “Community Wish” project. This experiential project was led by Venture Richmond and Hanbury Community Design Lab to create a public structure on the 60’ diameter, onsite concrete pad offering shading, seating, and space for community gatherings.

This installation – organized by AIA RVA YAF, designed and led by An Liu, built by volunteers, and funded by the AIA College of Fellows’ 2022 Component Grant – presents a meaningful collaboration among non-profit leaders, architects, graphic designers, and community helpers. It is an experiment of deconstructable design that highlights the interplay between humans and the natural world and the impact each person can have in responding to their surrounding environments.

Employing 4”x4” spacing galvanized fence, the design creates a reconfigurable framework of different formats to meet community needs. This includes, but is not limited to, a community pavilion, furniture, posters, a flag, drawings, and a space for gathering, sharing, connecting, observation, etc. The structure is built with modular components that can be relocated and reused for other projects to meet evolving community needs.

We hope this project provides a space for you and your wishes. Our hope is that this project empowers you to improve your community spaces.