2024-25
Teen-Centered Looby Campus
In partnership with Civic Design Center’s Design Studio, the NYDT acted as youth consultants for the Looby Community Campus Plan, engaging their peers with surveying and activities at a Teen Block Party to envision teen-centered spaces.
PROGRAM
Nashville Youth Design Team
PROJECT FOCUS AREA
Parks + Open Spaces
ACADEMIC PARTNERS
Dr. Kayla Anderson +
Megan McCormick, PhD Student
Youth Experts
The Nashville Youth Design Team met at Belmont University for their Summer Intensive where they kicked off a focused project that centered on the Looby Community Center in North Nashville.
The interns hosted a Teen Block Party during their intensive for the youth who participate in Looby summer programs, and during the event they evaluated how the students utilized different activations. The interns also conducted surveys for a wider group of their peers so they could develop themes and create recommendations for the Looby Campus.
Each group presented their design solutions that could be implemented on Looby Campus. Those solutions included youth-centered improvements to the area that included creative temporary sidewalks connecting the nearby Elementary School, activations for the public pool, concession stand, and the recreation room. The improvements recommended for the basketball court excited the community most, providing this group with funding for a pop-up activation.
Grace, Team Member Alumnus
“When you are trying to inform decision making, considering youth’s opinion and allowing youth the voice to speak for themselves, not only do you get a sense of what the future wants, but you also get a sense of the perspective that you probably wouldn’t be thinking of as an adult.”
EXHIBITION
Winning Idea
2024
The team that recommended the basketball court improvements had the goal to add to community identity and increase youth activities and art program spaces. 63.3% of the youth that they surveyed stated that Outside Spaces would draw them to the Community Center. In addition to a painted basketball court, this team envisioned a pump track and skate park in the existing parking lot that remains empty for most of the time. They wanted to be able to add more options for outside recreation at different scales. The team also recommended bleacher seating for viewers surrounded by no mow zones and wildflower plantings in the grassy area.
