emerging technology : Development News

Come spring, the long-awaited eco-friendly reNewBold development will be well under construction at 16th and Moore Streets. Planned for the former site of the Francis M. Drexel School, the project is a big step for Newbold, a neighborhood undergoing major revitalization.

Once completed, the project will boast 18 owner-occupied townhomes and one corner commercial space. It’s the first privately financed new construction residential project in the area in well over 50 years. And to top it off, it screams green.

Designed by Interface Studio Architects in conjunction with construction manager Postgreen, the homes will feature bicycle parking, green roofs, bamboo flooring, triple pane windows and on-sight stormwater mitigation practices. The designers are aiming for a 50 percent reduction in energy use from a similarly sized home.

Developer John Longacre of LPMG Companies expects the first phase of the project to be completed before summer, with full build-out anticipated by the end of 2014. "We can have the units built and sold within 18 months of starting construction," he explains.

That achievement is a long time coming for Longacre: Developing this particularly property has been "quite a challenge" due to the arduous process of clearing the property’s title. "It’s taken several years for us to clear the property of numerous liens," he says. "Now we’re finally ready to move forward." 

Longacre sees the project as the "missing piece" in Newbold’s rebirth. "When [LPMG] came down here 10 years ago, there wasn’t much going on," he says. "Since then, we’ve strategically tried to bring businesses and residents to the area and tried to get slumlords to improve their properties."

That mission has been a success -- the area now features numerous South Philly institutions, including Ultimo Coffee, South Philly Tap Room, Miss Rachel’s Pantry and the American Sardine Bar.

Longacre is also aiming for affordability: units will range in cost from $250,000 to $325,000. Despite all the delays, three have already sold. 

Source:  John Longacre, LPMG Companies
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Thanks to Greenworks Philadelphia, the city’s ambitious sustainable action plan, Mayor Nutter is committed to making Philadelphia the greenest city in the country by 2015. Thankfully, he has a major partner in Veolia Energy North America, a leading operator and developer of efficient energy solutions with a big local presence. In January, the company completed a multi-million dollar investment in its Philadelphia district energy network, converting it to 100 percent "green steam."

The green steam project will reduce the carbon footprint of Philadelphia by 70,000 metric tons each year. When combined with the company's other green initiatives, that number jumps to 430,000 -- or the equivalent of removing 70,000 cars from the streets annually.

According to Veolia's Elinor Haider, that reduction singlehandedly "helps the city achieve 10 percent of its [20 percent Greenworks] goal."

It’s no surprise that a company like Veolia can have such a large impact on a citywide initiative. Its Philadelphia district energy network is the third largest energy system in the United States. "We provide steam to 500 buildings with 100 million square feet of total space," explains Veolia's Michael Smedley. Most of their clients are located in University City and Center City.

In fact, the University of Pennsylvania is the company’s largest customer, responsible for 40 percent of their business. Veolia is in negotiations to renew that contract, adding Penn to the list of institutions -- including Thomas Jefferson University, the Barnes Foundation and Drexel -- that have either recently renewed or agreed to long-term lease agreements.

While big clients with long-term contracts are the global firm’s primary targets, Smedley and Haider say smaller-scale work also drives their green market edge. "We feel very responsive to customers' desire for green living," explains Haider.  

Source: Elinor Haider and Michael Smedley, Veolia Energy
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

For the first time in its 50 year history, the Science Center is launching a residential project on its University City campus. Slated for 3601 Market Street, the 27-story high rise will be a joint venture between Wexford Equities, parent company of Wexford Science & Technology, and Southern Land Company. Construction is expected to start in the fall, kicking off the first of what Science Center officials anticipate to be a boomlet of residential and mixed-use projects in the coming years.
 
The 400,000-square-foot building will feature 364 apartments and 17,000 square feet of ground-floor retail—something Science Center President and CEO Stephen S. Tang, PhD, MBA, hopes will make the campus and its environs just as lively by night as it is by day.
 
"We observed similar innovation hubs in Toronto, Mission Bay in San Francisco and Cambridge," says Tang, explaining that what separates those places from the Science Center is a residential component to activate the campus, creating a more dynamic environment. "It might sound silly to say, but you really do need people to make a community. That’s the component were adding at 36th and Market."
 
This project is the first step towards creating the 24/7 "live, work, play" neighborhood they’re after. "This project is going to be complete around Spring 2015," says Tang. "From there, we’ll turn our attention to 38th and Market. It’s the only other major space open on campus right now." At that site, Tang expects another 700,000 square-feet worth of mixed-use development.
 
With these two projects, and others, in the pipeline, the Science Center continues to contribute to University City-wide efforts aimed at creating a world-class innovation environment.
 
"With the Science Center’s goals, Drexel’s vision to create an innovation neighborhood and Penn’s ongoing efforts at developing mixed-use projects, we’re working in concert to create a community of innovators and entrepreneurs," says Tang. "Over the next few years, we want to rival Center City in vibrancy." 
 
Source: Stephen A. Tang, President and CEO, University City Science Center
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

On December 17, URBN will take its sustainability practices to new heights with the installation of an alternative energy source at its home office in the Navy Yard. Called fuel cell technology, the new system is expected to cover 60 of URBN’s electrical usage, significantly reduce CO2 emissions and provide a return on investment within five years. 
 
Fuel cell technology is not a new discovery—it has been around since the mid-1800s. But it wasn’t until recently that utilizing the technology made financial sense, thanks to the work of a California-based company, Bloom Energy, specializing in on-site power generating systems using fuel cells. By leveraging breakthrough advances in science, Bloom Energy has made fuel cell technology affordable, reliable and clean.
 
"URBN has been researching alternative energy—wind, solar, fuel cells—for a long time, but until now we’ve never been able to make the financial component work," says Chief Development Officer Dave Ziel on the company's blog.   
 
Ziel put together an alternative energy committee to research different sources of energy and their related financial burden. After looking at a number of options, the committee agreed that fuel cells were the way to go for the company’s home office. They began working with Bloom Energy to develop a system specific to URBN’s needs.
 
The committee attained a $1.2 million alternative energy grant from the State of Pennsylvania and a $400,000 custom incentive grant from PECO to offset the costs. 
 
"The timing of this project was very fortuitous because there were incentives available," explains Pete Epstein, construction project manager with URBN and member of Ziel’s alternative energy committee. "The state was looking to support projects like this and PIDC [Philadelphia Industrial Development Coorporation], the stewards of the Navy Yard who had simultaneously launched green initiatives, were very interested in helping us apply for grants when they heard about what we were doing." 
 
Construction on the project began in August 2011 and early construction is expected to be complete this week. If all goes according to plan, URBN will soon become one of the first east coast companies to use fuel cell technology, capping off their biggest green effort to date. Considering the company’s long held devotion to sustainability at their Navy Yard campus, that’s no small feat.

Source: Dave Ziel, Chief Development Officer, URBN; Pete Epstein, Construction Project Manager, URBN 
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Philadelphia’s urban complexities can sometimes seem overwhelming, but thanks to the efforts at Temple’s Urban Apps and Maps Studios, grappling with these complicated issues might soon be possible in the palm of your hand. 
 
Over the next three summers, high school and college-age students will take part in a six-week program to learn digital design and business skills, with a dozen of them working year-round to develop apps and maps that solve challenges of urban communities.   
 
A central goal of the program is connecting the students with underserved North Philadelphia communities, engaging them with the design challenges. According to Michele Masucci, professor and chair of Geography and Urban Studies at Temple University, it was this community outreach component of the project that caught the eye of the Knight Foundation—they are providing a $635,000 grant. "The issues to be solved come from community input," explains Masucci. "Knight thought this was fantastic and wanted to get involved."
 
Thanks to the Knight grant—as well as the initial U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration grant that jumpstarted the program last year—the Urban Apps and Maps Studio is fully funded for at least the next three years. Masucci believes the benefits of the program will guarantee funding for years to come. "The youth of this country are one of the largest digital consumer groups," she says. "This program brings them to the table to also be digital innovators."
 
The program also broadens students' educational and professional horizons by connecting them with Temple’s vast resources. In an unprecedented model of collaboration, faculty from Temple’s Fox School of Business, College of Science and Technology, College of Engineering and Tyler School of Art have lent their expertise to the Studio’s efforts to create, implement and eventually sell the apps and maps.   
 
A number of apps and maps have already been created. These include an app for urban farming, an urban health warriors game app that helps increase health awareness and a game to educate youth about personal finance.

Over the next few years, expect even more innovative solutions to emerge from the Studio. Accoring to Masucci, the University will continue to work with the Philadelphia School District and the Philadelphia Youth Network to identify and recruit students from North Philadelphia to take part in the Studio. Over the coming years, they are aiming to expand the program to other parts of Philadelphia as well.

Source: Michele Masucci, professor and chair of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The Philadelphia Water Department is once again raising the bar with their green infrastructure/sustainability initiatives, this time partnering with the US Environmental Protection Agency and Community Design Collaborative with the launch of Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up!—a design initiative to increase awareness on how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize urban areas.

Green stormwater infrastructure has been receiving a lot of attention in Philly in recent years – it is the key strategy behind Green City, Clean Waters, the city's nationally renowned and environmentally sustainable plan to improve the region’s waterways.

“As we evolve Philadelphia into America's most sustainable and green city, the opportunities ahead will be limited only by the confines of our imaginations and the extent of our determination,” says Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

Seeing Philly as an early adopter of green stormwater infrastructure programs on large scales, the EPA decided to partner with the Water Department on Soak It Up! to encourage and assist the City in their ongoing efforts to improve water quality and sustainability.    

Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! is an offshoot of Infill Philadelphia, a program created by the Community Design Collaborative to help urban areas re-envision their neighborhoods and address specific concerns unique to urban places.   

Soak It Up! feeds off that program, and will host exhibitions, talks, design charrettes and a national competition to explore the vast potential of green infrastructure tools—rain gardens, green roofs, rain barrels and more—and figure out how they can enhance Philly's built, economic and social environment.

Currently, an exhibition of over 40 projects from Philadelphia and other cities including Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh is on display through Oct. 19 at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, at 1218 Arch Street.  The exhibition provides a sampling of smart, innovative green stormwater project ideas, ranging from simple and small to visionary and large.  The exhibition is open to the public from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays.   

The exhibition and the other programs currently ongoing are cumulatively aiming to bring together city leaders, designers and community stakeholders and give them the platform to discuss how they can put green infrastructure best practices to work locally.  

“In our work, we’ve already seen how designing with green stormwater infrastructure can transform a park, a block, or even an entire neighborhood,” says Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative. “Infill Philadelphia: Soak it Up! will help produce greater awareness, advocacy, and collaboration around green tools—and the next wave of green projects in the city.”

Source: Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department; Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In December 2011, Southwest Philadelphia gleefully celebrated the opening of Paschall Village, the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s pilot project for high-performance sustainable development.  Since then, the project has been heralded for its contemporary, contextually sensitive footprint and its ambitious green features, including central geothermal heating and cooling, solar domestic hot water, solar panels, rainwater harvesting/irrigation system, and more.  And last week, Paschall was officially recognized for this cutting edge design excellence.
 
Paschall, which is bounded by 72nd Street, Paschall Avenue, Cobbs Creek Parkway, and Lloyd Street in Southwest Philadelphia, received PAHRA’s Bellamy Award for Housing. The recognition honors the best in design and construction projects by affordable housing agencies across Pennsylvania.  PHA's win was no small feat – in a state of 89 housing authorities Paschall came out on top.
 
“We are thrilled to receive this award from our fellow professionals,” said Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA’s Interim Executive Director. “It’s always our goal to make a lasting, positive impact on neighborhoods and become a catalyst for long-term, local economic growth. Receiving this type of recognition from your peers for a sustainable, environmentally friendly housing development is a great honor and PHA is committed to doing more of this work in the future.” 
 
Judges were impressed with the Paschall Village bid for a number of reasons.  For one, its efficiency standards stood above the rest - the development features impressive savings for PHA, standing at an estimated 30%-35% per month.  Further, the use of open space, pervious pavements (over 92,000 square feet) and other green infrastructure reduces the development’s runoff footprint on the City’s stormwater systems. 
 
Paschall also received high marks for the multiple sources of funding and partnerships PHA made to make the development a reality.
 
Paschall Village replaced Paschall Apartments, a poorly designed, mid-1960s-era public housing complex that unfortunately became the center of poverty, drugs and crime.  Through smart urban design and sustainability features, Paschall Village seems to have improved the character and safety of the community.  And now, with the Bellamy Award under its belt, it’s clear that Paschall Village has greatly improved community pride as well.

Source: Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA’s Interim Executive Director
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Last week, the ZBA gave final approval to a new development in Graduate Hospital, something folks have become accustomed to in the booming neighborhood immediately south of Rittenhouse Square. But Bloc 23, now set to break ground in early 2013, isn’t your standard G-Ho development. It is receiving overwhelming community support and being heralded as innovative, ambitious and even wonderful. Why the excitement?

The answer lies in its obvious suck-up (in a good way) to the community it will soon reside in.  Designed by local firm Campbell Thomas Architects and Stephen Nebel of Berlin-based LABhaus, the 5-story mixed-use building aims to please.  Bloc 23, which is located at the critical intersection of Grays Ferry and Bainbridge, just across from the controversial Toll Brothers residential development, will bring increased retail services, housing choices for a wide range of residents and top quality design.      

The building’s retail component, 10,000 square feet in all, will increase residents’ access to neighborhood amenities.  Jacqueline Balin of Fameco Real Estate is handling the commercial leasing for the new space and sees a huge demand for increased retail services in Graduate Hospital.  “We’re at a tipping point where demand now exceeds supply,” explains Balin, “the second- and third-generation spaces along South Street are mostly utilized and what the area now needs is bigger, more flexible spaces to accommodate large (restaurants) and retailers.”

Developer Stephen Rodriguez, who lives a few blocks away from the site, agrees with Balin’s sentiment.  “Graduate Hospital is one of the only neighborhoods that doesn’t actively take advantage of their 5-point intersections,’ says Rodriguez.  “This development can jumpstart a small ‘urban village’ along Grays Ferry, full of restaurants and retail services for residents to enjoy.” 

To that effort, Rodriguez has indicated outdoor seating is planned for the retail spaces, with the idea of creating a more cohesive public realm in the area.

Increasing housing diversity and choice for potential homebuyers is another Bloc 23 feat.  “We wanted to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers,” says Rodriguez, who plans to move his family into one of the 24 condos once complete.  “The 600 square foot units appeal to young professionals or Penn students while the 2,600 square foot units can be a townhouse alternative for families.”  Bedroom sizes also vary; anything from 1-4 bedroom units can be found in Bloc 23. 

Future residents will enjoy the many high design features that will come with their new digs.  Private and shared terraces, a green roof and underground parking truly are a few of the many amenities the developer has planned for Bloc 23.  To top it off, the structure’s modular construction status makes it on the front lines of green technology and sustainable development.  

Rodriguez believes that if all goes according to plan, Bloc 23 will be completed in fall of next year.  From there, he hopes to start on the project’s second phase, at 611-615 S. 24th Street.  Rodriguez and Balin have indicated phase two will feature similar community minded features as well.

Source:Jacqueline Balin, Fameco Real Estate; Stephen Rodriguez, Local developer
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Flanked on both sides with Philly’s tallest skyscrapers, Market Street West is best known for its urban canyon qualities.  Lately, these characteristics have reached new heights with the addition of a number of towers and institutional buildings along the corridor.  This trend seems to be continuing further west, this time at the northeast corner of 38th and Market in University City.  The development, an 11-story, 272,700 square foot tower is a joint venture between the University City Science Center and Wexford Science + Technology.
 
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center will take up the bulk of the building, occupying approximately 155,700 square feet for orthopedics and outpatient medical facilities.  Good Shepherd Penn Partners will occupy an additional floor and a half.  The Science Center and Wexford will control the remaining 88,000 square feet. 
 
Currently, the Science Center is largely known as the largest urban research park in the United States.  Adding Penn Presbyterian onto their campus strengthens this reputation, and according to James R. Berens, Chairman, Wexford Science + Technology, LLC, it also advances the idea of establishing University City as a world class Meds and Eds hub.  “The project, as a mix of clinical, research and office uses, is a perfect match to the Science Center’s mission and Wexford’s capabilities -- and is a great opportunity to cultivate University City and Philadelphia’s innovation cluster,” says Berens in a press release statement. 
 
Solidifying University City as a tech hub isn’t the only benefit from the project.  Expect improved access to medical care for much of West Philly, says Michele Volpe, CEO of Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in a press release statement.  “This expansion will provide PPMC faculty and staff with the infrastructure necessary to better serve the Powelton Avenue, West Philadelphia, and even the Greater Philadelphia communities.”    
     
Cranes should rise this September, with an expected completion date of June 2014.  Once finished, the building is anticipated to receive LEED Silver certification.    

Source: James Berens, Wexford Science + Technology
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

If the Philadelphia region undertakes efforts to improve energy efficiency in buildings, $618 million in local spending would be spurred and 23,500 jobs would be created.   This according to Christine Knapp of the Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub in the Navy Yard, who believes the strategies and programs they are currently conducting could have a transformative effect on Greater Philadelphia's economy. 

The EEB Hub was established in Philadelphia by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with a $129 million grant as an Energy-Regional Innovation Cluster in early 2011 with a mission of improving energy efficiency in buildings and promoting regional economic growth.  According to Knapp, the creation of the government-led Hub was necessary because the building systems market simply has not been improving in efficiency standards on its own.  And considering the building sector accounts for 40% of total U.S. prime energy expended and 70% of all U.S. electric energy used, improving building efficiency standards is seen as a must by the DOE.
     
But landing the Hub was not an easy task and took numerous stakeholders and a lot of coordination to put together the winning proposal.  “A consortium of academic institutions, industry partners and economic development groups, led by Penn State, submitted a proposal to house the Hub at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, which was ultimately the winning proposal,” explains Knapp.  She also believes locating the Hub at the Navy Yard was a key factor to the proposal’s success, since the land is seen as one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic retrofit and redevelopment opportunities.    

The Hub is made up of research teams who are a rather ambitious bunch.  According to Knapp, their main, and seemingly lofty goal is to reduce energy use in the Greater Philadelphia commercial building sector by 20 percent by 2020, an undertaking that will create thousands of jobs for Philly. 

The Hub is already leading by example with two demonstration projects.  Building 101 in the Navy Yard serves as a testing site for energy research, where data is collected and assessments are made of the impact of building energy technologies and systems on energy use.  Then there’s the advanced energy retrofit living laboratory in Building 661 of the Navy Yard. Once renovated, the building will host EEB’s headquarters and serve as an example for future advanced energy retrofit projects in the region.

There is already evidence that EEB’s efforts are already yielding real jobs.  Relationships made between EEB and a local manufacturing business, Rhoads Industries, and their desire to retrofit the company’s Navy Yard buildings caught the attention of US Green Energy (USGE), a Virginia-based startup company that is manufacturing new types of solar roofs. 

Through a series of meetings about Rhoads' roof needs, USGE eventually agreed to open manufacturing space of their own in the Navy Yard, bringing an estimated 20 new jobs to the region.  USGE has since indicated that they have contracted for further technical work on their product and are actively pursuing research funding for more work.

With benchmarked results in tow, EEB plans an all-out assault on the local building industry to promote what they are doing to get the word out about building efficiency.  According to Knapp, this has started with identifying the necessary parties involved to move the conversation forward.  “The EEB Hub is engaging key stakeholders- from building owners, to retrofit suppliers to workforce trainers and policy makers- in the retrofit decision process to serve as an informational, motivational, and practical resource for the various constituencies that will help carry our vision forward.”

Already well underway, expect a variety of workshops, seminars, presentations, and webinars to continue for the next few years.  From these efforts, the EEB Hub can successfully develop market-ready technologies, information, and people needed in the marketplace to drive energy retrofits forward, create demand, and deliver on energy savings.  And if the success behind the Rhoads-USGE collaboration is any indication, expect EEB's efforts to more than deliver on job creation over the next 10-20 years.    

Source: Christine Knapp, EEB Hub
Writer; Greg Meckstroth

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) recognizes the potency of the region's sustainability movement in recent years, and has come out with a challenge pledge in anticipation of the 2013 Greenbuild conference, which will be held in Philadelphia. Specifically, DVGBC is looking for local businesses non-profits, and other organizations to come up with measurable sustainable goals that can be realized by 2013. 

Even though the Council’s pledge has only been circulating for a couple of months, it has attracted the participation of a number of for-profit and non-profit companies vowing to practice even more eco-friendly development. One development firm that was early and enthusiastic in signing the pledge is Brandywine Realty Trust. The Trust has promised to have 75 Energy Star-certified buildings with 900,000 sq. ft. of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified real estate, says Heather Blakeslee, the deputy executive director of DVGBC.

Brandywine is by no means the only developer who has already made a pledge to be more sustainable through Energy Star and LEED. MaGrann Associates, which is an energy consulting and engineering company that started in Mount Laurel, has vowed to certify 1,500 LEED residences, make 5,000 additional homes Energy Star-compliant, and achieve LEED certification for commercial interiors for their Navy Yard and South Jersey offices, says Blakeslee.

DVGBC’s pledge has drawn buy-in from some small local start-ups. Two such companies are Greenable and BluPath, both of which are sustainable building and design companies. “Greenable pledges to get green building products specified and used by architects and builders in 20 new, local green building projects,” says Blakeslee. Meanwhile, BluPath has announced they will work Habitat for Humanity's local chapter to retrofit a rowhouse to the ultra-green Passive House Standard.  

The Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha and the Jonathan Rose Company have jointly promised to do away with 78,840 automobile trips in a year with their Paseo Verde transit-oriented development by the Temple University Regional Rail stop, says Blakeslee. Flying Kite highlighted this development a few weeks ago. 

Also in the transportation sphere, the Valley Forge-based building materials manufacturer CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain has pledged to reduce 10,000 gallons of gas by reducing single-occupancy vehicle commutes by its employees at its Valley Forge and Blue Bell offices. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Heather Blakeslee, DVGBC

Picture courtesy of DVGBC

After a wildly successful blending of nature and sound at Bartram’s Garden, the local audio experimenters of Data Garden are participating in an exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art this weekend.  Data Garden was invited to participate in the exhibit "Zoe Strauss: Ten Years," which is a display of urban photography from Strauss and the Philadelphia Public Art Project. The audio quartet will be featuring sounds from four tropical plants to provide a natural backdrop to Strauss’ urban landscape. 

Data Garden will translate the "electronic impulses" of two philodendrons, a schefflera, and a snake plant at the "Data Garden: Quartet" performance, says Joe Patitucci, a sound artist in the group. One member will be responsible for the electronics, two members will handle the sound production, and the fourth artist will create the ceramic planters. They will sell 25 limited edition albums at the show, all of which will be made of a material that can be put back into the earth and planted, says Patitucci. Music can also be purchased on Data Garden’s website.

The audio synthesizers are excited to perform at the Art Museum, even though it’s not as public as previous performances.  "The Philadelphia Museum of Art is an amazing venue and we know it's going to expose us to a larger audience we don't normally have an opportunity to reach," says Patitucci. He also muses that audio art will be a refreshing break for exhibit-goers from gazing at paintings on a wall. 

This exhibit comes on the heels of a smashingly successful public art display at Bartram’s Garden, which Patitucci says drew the most people ever to an event at the Garden.  He says that over 700 people came "to experience art, performance and public space in new ways" during The Switched-On Garden, which took place in early-October. The event was so successful that the audio label has already started a Kickstarter page, and is hoping to raise $7,000 by April 24 for another public art installment at Bartram’s. Patitucci says it’s important the event remain free.

"Data Garden: Quartet" was invited to participate in the Zoe Strauss exhibit by Megawords, which is a photography magazine that hosts public art events. Megawords has a library and exhibition space in the exhibit. Patitucci describes the upcoming performance as an intersection between "plants, music, and technology." If you’re unable to make the Quartet, the audio will be made available in the Data Garden store on their website. Even better, Data Garden’s next public art performance at Bartram’s Garden might be sooner rather than later. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Joe Patitucci, Data Garden 

Photo courtesy of Data Garden