For Architectural Record’s

of effective and equitable approaches to community engagement, senior editor Joann Gonchar, FAIA, spoke with Envelope’s Douglas Burnham and Liz Ogbu of Studio O about their “inventive process” of deep listening and prototyping developed for NOW Hunters Point and Hunters Point Shoreline.

Gonchar writes: “For the PG&E project, Burnham teamed up with Ogbu, who has extensive experience in public-interest design. Almost immediately, Envelope and her Studio O began holding events on a 2.5-acre portion of the site, an area since dubbed NOW Hunters Point. An early program was conducted in collaboration with StoryCorps, the oral history nonprofit. Inside a temporary recording booth, the team documented Bayview-Hunters Point’s history and culture and the residents’ dreams for the future. The project culminated with a listening party for the whole neighborhood. Other programming—all of which is free—has included a circus, job training, movie nights, and health and wellness fairs. The designers refer to these events as prototyping or testing for future uses. “The programming makes what is possible tangible,” says Ogbu. And during every event, Envelope and Studio O gather feedback from attendees about what works and what doesn’t and ideas for the future of the site.”

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