Founded in 2006 the Studio for Urban Projects is an art and design practice that seeks to advance civic engagement and further public dialogue. Their inter-disciplinary and research-based projects aim to provoke change by re-framing our perceptions of the city and physically transforming elements of the built environment. Through these projects they reflect upon the cultural dynamics that shape our urban landscapes.

From the Ground Up: Local Efforts to Create Resilient Cities, written by Studio for Urban Projects collaborator Alison Sant, examines how cities around the country are mitigating and adapting to climate change while creating equitable and livable communities in the process. We worked with Ali, the publisher, and artist Packard Jennings to bring this vital book to life.

Reclaim Market Street! was an exhibition and series of street interventions created by the Studio for Urban Projects to augment the community engagement process in remaking San Francisco’s central boulevard. By staging a series of events, from biking and walking tours to temporary playgrounds and film screenings, SUP engaged the public in reimagining the street. Our identity for Reclaim was based on the idea of a stencil as tool for street protest mass-reproduction, and using the identity along with non-permanent chalk paint participants were able to literally paint the streets with messages. We used inexpensive newspaper printing to create posters that doubled as publications for mass distribution, and the project culminated in an exhibition at SPUR, where we collaborated with SUP on the design of an inexpensive and eco-friendly graphic ‘insert’ within the gallery space.

Outpost. As a part of the Market Street Prototyping Festival, the Studio for Urban Projects created a temporary street pavilion system tailored to support community engagement. The installation engaged the general public and posed questions about the future development of San Francisco’s civic spine. We designed the graphic applications for two separate iterations of the pavilion.