On Saturday July 11th, 2009, CSDS and Pratt Design Incubator partnered with Pratt Towers housing cooperative to hold a community “Design Jam”. Pratt Towers is a multi-cultural urban community of 326 families (ranging from newborn to 101) who are working to improve their quality of life by revitalizing their outdoor space through an environmentally sustainable, year-round multipurpose area. Members of the community were invited to brainstorm with over 10 designers including a landscape architect, (both Pratt students, alumni and designer from the NYC), to create possible residential uses for 90 square feet of unused space behind the towers that has remained empty for 15 years.

The goal of the Design Jam was to design a staged program that can be implemented over a series of years that can also be used to help find funding from city or corporate sponsor. The Design Jam started with a presentation by Pratt Towers to the community and designers, followed by small group (designers and community members) brainstorming possible solutions and identifying the important elements needed in the space. In the afternoon the designers worked in groups and presented ideas to the community for feedback. These ideas presented were based on the important elements the communities had identified in the morning session.

After the Design Jam, a small group of designers are currently working to create two to three solidified phased solutions to present back to the community. The designers are working to include the needs, wants and feedback the community expressed at the Design Jam..