The Edison Project
Imaginative Design Grounded in Contextual Research
Edison Street in downtown Salt Lake City is home to many small businesses and community areas. Although the street appears to be alive, many businesses have struggled to keep doors open. Our team proposes repurposing empty space to create lasting change for local businesses on the block.
The Edison Project directly addresses the needs of stakeholders to create lasting community improvement
Through our process of stakeholder interviews and background research, my team determined that much of the parking space on the Edison St. block is underutilized, leading to many missed opportunities.
My role as a designer was to identify a successful purpose for the wasted space on the block. Our design intervention centered around repurposing vacant parking spaces into vibrant community centers that Edison st. businesses can take advantage of. Rob, owner of "The Green Ant, Mid Century Modern Furniture," holds outdoor sales, but is restricted by city ordinance and poor infrastructure. Our repurposed block allows Ron to hold outdoor Galleries creating a sense of community on Edison St.
Design Evolution
Designing around stakeholders remained a vital part of this project. My role evolved as I continued to explore the relationship between community, local businesses, and the urban space that ties these two together. Research and engagement helped my team to develop a potential solution based on key insights provided by our stakeholders.
