P+DC [Every]Place Series

Gathering Spaces

Intelligent, evocative design made with real-world constraints
With domestic and international projects, SHoP Architects' Dana Getman, AIA, will explain how people, culture, and history are integrated into design solutions to create places transformed into iconic experiences. From Essex Crossing in New York to Midtown Center in Washington DC, the response to light depth and shadow of the neighboring structures is critical to the success of facades. She addresses placemaking in unfamiliar places and the process of observation. In addition, participants will learn how the firm has responded to the pandemic and the refocused priorities for the way we live.
  • Participants will explore how great public spaces inform great architecture. Through a case study of Essex Crossing in New York, participants will understand the transformation of a vacant lot to a commercial property with a vibrant community gathering place.
  • Participants will review examples of successful human-scale facades with the inviting use of transparency and light to appeal to occupants and the community.
  • Participants will review the use of patterns and connections to create openness and functionality in a densely populated city.
  • Participants will learn about the challenges of designing for a university and the design goals to reflect the institution's standards through architecture. This case study illustrates a range of user experiences while embracing organization strategies within the campus and neighborhood.
  • 1.0 AIACES HSW Learning Unit 

Course Lessons


     Meet the Presenter

Dana Getman, AIA

Principal, SHoP Architects
Dana Getman is a principal at SHoP. Her particular interest and expertise is in projects at the intersection of complex city-building and community engagement, including her leadership of the master plan and key public programs for Essex Crossing on Manhattan’s Lower East Side; design and construction for the East River Waterfront master plan, which created 14 million square feet of public space for New Yorkers and visitors.
Patrick Jones - Course author
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Phone number: (303) 446-2266
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