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Crowdus Street Design Competition

Submission: February 29, 2016
Registration: January 15, 2016
Language: English
Location: Dallas, USA
Prizes: Cash Prize
Type: Open

 

The Crowdus St. Design Competition asks teams of Designers, Artists, and Creatives to redesign Crowdus St. as a visionary project for pedestrians in the heart of Deep Ellum. This is an open design competition for anyone to submit. Registration is free, and on January 15th registered teams will recieve the design brief, site photos, and digital materials.

Deep Ellum developed in the late 1800s as a residential and commercial neighborhood on the east side of Downtown Dallas. The early 1900s flourished with industrial development, serving factory facilities for the Continental Gin Company and Henry Ford’s Model T. Deep Ellum’s real claim to fame was found in its music. By the 1920s, the neighborhood had become a hotbed for early jazz and blues musicians, hosting the likes of Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter, Texas Bill Day and Bessie Smith. Following WWII, the success of Deep Ellum started to fade. The ever-growing availability and use of the automobile led to the removal of the Houston and Texas Central railroad tracks — to make way for the Central Expressway– and by 1956 the streetcar line had been removed. Businesses closed and residents moved, and in 1969 a new elevation of Central Expressway truncated Deep Ellum, completely obliterating the 2400 block of Elm Street.

Today, the neighborhood is on the upswing in a state of transition. Large scale residential and multifamily construction, streetscape improvements, and a large commission of mural artwork is contributing to Deep Ellum’s growth as a cultural center in the City of Dallas. For all of the growth and improvement in businesses, residents, restaurants, and bars, Deep Ellum lacks a public gathering space. Crowdus Street is located in the heart of Deep Ellum, running cross-grain to the primary vehicular roadways, and has great potential to become a pedestrian-only thoroughfare. From ReelFX Creative Studios to Deep Ellum Brewing Company, there are eight blocks that might be redesigned to add to the vibrant future of Deep Ellum.

PEOPLE
The Jury will include Nan Ellin from CAPPA at University of Texas in Arlington, J.P. Casillas from SWA, Evan Sheets from City Design Studio, and Sean Fitzergerald from Deep Ellum Community Association.

PRIZE
There is a cash prize for the winning team.
And the potential to move on to further stages of design development.

DEADLINE
The competition deadline will be February 29, 2016

Go to the competition’s website