USF Architecture Students Create Installations for the ENCORE Tempo District

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Architecture students in the design-build urban activation studio at USF are creating installations for the ENCORE! Tempo District neighborhood as part of a class with Professor Josué Robles and Visiting Professor Ryan Swanson.

The students receive real-world experience as they work with collaboratively with the Tampa Housing Authority, artist Buster Simpson, and ENCORE residents. One selected design will be permanently constructed at the ENCORE! Tempo District’s Technology Park.

The project is part of a $45,000 commission by the Tampa Housing Authority and Simpson.

Throughout the project, students have been involved with studio sessions and site analysis. As they engage with the community, they learn about the phases of the design and construction of a project, such as schematic design, permitting, scheduling, budgeting, shop drawings, and exchange with consultants.

The students have already constructed four designs at full scale. They presented their designs at the Tempo District on Tuesday, March 26, 2019.

ENCORE! residents, Tampa Housing Authority, and Buster Simpson have selected one of the installations to be permanently constructed at Technology Park. The students are currently working on the final design. Its construction will begin mid-May.

Swanson is the founder of the design firm The Urban Conga, a company working to promote play in cities and underutilized spaces. He graduated from the USF School of Architecture and Community Design in 2013.

Robles leads studios in housing and community design at University of South Florida's School of Architecture & Community Design, where he has assisted the faculty since he began teaching in 2007.

For more information on classes with Robles and Swanson, visit the USF School of Architecture and Community Design’s Advanced Design Gallery.