Kid of Parts 
Through a children’s design workshop with kids being forced to shelter in place,  we designed and developed an outdoor furniture installation in an existing outdoor courtyard.

During this process, we learned that residents wanted an active, intergenerational, and flexible space that allowed for relaxation, interactive play, and community events.

Our final design incorporates a set of flexible, movable furniture that can be set up in different configurations. Intergenerational play, lounging, and socializing are emphasized through the design of different panels on the modular pieces. The colorful groundscape is coded to give clues for spatial use and provide a vibrant surface that complements the colors of the wall mural.

Behind this was research focused on the notion of play, and its role as a multigenerational driver of joy, exercise, and community. This research was strengthened through workshops with noted spatial activists and industrial designers from the Bay Area. The new installation creates a vibrant gathering and imagination space for all the residents of this diverse building, especially the twenty-nine children residing here. The design incorporates social distancing through graphics and furniture component design and was installed during the Covid pandemic. 

The Bayview Commons Apartments is a diverse, affordable community in service since 2003, located in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco. AIAS AAU (American Institute of Architecture Students) participants designed and painted a mural in the courtyard in 2018. This project continues our long-standing relationships with the residents of the building and SFHDC.

A collaboration between:
Faculty: Sameena Sitabkhan
Students: Adam Nuru, Markish Siojo, Dylan Ingle, Fabio Lemos, Xiaohuan Corona Gao
Residents of the Bayview Commons Apartments
San Francisco Housing Development Corporation
Mission Housing Development Corporation