concept & vision

our project intervenes in a socio-economically disadvantaged area of Waco, commonly referred to as East Waco and/or North East Riverside Waco, transforming a vacant and historically significant building (60+ years-old, a once-thriving neighborhood drug store converted into a segregated cinema in its later years) and eight empty lots into a community arts hub to bridge communities across the river through arts programming

design & architecture

we renovate the existing building, opening its front to the community, as the new hub visual anchor and a shared space for exhibitions, classrooms, screenings, and gatherings. We connect this existing brick structure to a container assembly, adding much needed programs and activating the surrounding outdoor spaces

program & use

a multifunctional and flexible art space centers the hub taking advantage of the existing building space and its double-height. We connect it to a number of crisscrossing containers, with a community kitchen and bakery on the ground level, offering training and cafe service, and extending out with outdoor covered tables; and with additional gathering classroom space at the level above for education and art making workshops

impact & significance

we work with art visionary Doreen Ravenscroft, and with the support of the City of Waco Planning Department to create a platform promoting urban revitalization. Through opportunities for local and visiting artists to connect to this inner-city urban environment, our hub provides a central anchor for the community for yearlong activities, including the annual pop-up art exhibition Art on Elm, now in its tenth year. Reclamation and rejuvenation become positive keywords as we reimagine together with its community how this neglected building and site can grow into a thriving, innovative arts oasis for the neighborhood, owned by its community