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Philly's Hub for Designers
Our space at 1218 Arch Street has been the home of the architecture community for 15 years. Now it is the home of multiple design associations and nonprofits, fully realizing its vision of being a design hub for all designers and the public.
The Building's History
Founded in 2009, AIA Philadelphia initiated a mission to spark passion for architecture and design at 1218 Arch Street. The AIA Bookstore was our hub, flanked by AIA Philadelphia Chapter and Community Design Collaborative offices. By 2013, we embraced the DesignPhiladelphia festival, leading to our 2016 rebranding as the Center for Architecture and Design, showcasing our multidisciplinary approach. Today, we've rebranded our organization as DesignPhiladelphia and renamed our building as the Center for DesignPhiladelphia. This critical step reinforces our dedication to inclusivity and collaboration in design.
In Residence Partners
Today, we're proud to announce that esteemed organizations including ASID PA East, IIDA, ASLA PA NJ DE, APA PA, AIGA PHL, SEGD, and DVASE now call us their home base in downtown Philadelphia. Our mission is to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative design community. By uniting these diverse entities under one roof, we aim to elevate design practices, promote cross-industry collaboration, and create a design industry that mirrors the people it serves.
Anchor Tenants, Business As Usual
The Center for DesignPhiladelphia will persist as a hub for design industry activities, promoting our mission of inclusivity and collaboration. AIA Philadelphia will continue to operate the Chapter and host their signature events and exhibitions in our space. The Community Design Collaborative will maintain its role in facilitating critical conversations about community-led design and continue its monthly Design Review meetings in our space. PhilaNOMA, the Design Advocacy Group, and Creative Mornings will also be hosting their events and programs at the Center.
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