In response to the Community Design Collaborative’s Play Space Design Competition, a global competition for innovative play space designs for three Philadelphia sites, site design group, ltd. submitted “Elevate” to the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Branch Library Learning Landscapes site.
Building off of the legacies of Andrew Carnegie and Blanche A. Nixon, Elevate seeks to create a compelling, sustainable, innovative, and inclusive community amenity that brings people together through a multidimensional play and gathering space. Elevate is defined by a high-density structure that stacks play and community programs on top of each other. The platforms vary in height, size, and program, creating unique, open, and exploratory spaces that activate the visitor’s imagination and blur the lines between distinctive programming, resulting in a one-of-a-kind, community-oriented playful and educational environment. Sustainable stormwater features and accessible community garden planters bring together visitors of all ages, while enhancing the community’s connection to nature. Elevate’s multi-level concept extends the mission of the library as a community center to the outdoors, with inclusive and flexible programming that attracts a multi-generational audience.
