What is your vision for sustainability and positive growth for the city of Bridgeport? How can an abandoned building or empty lot help change the city for the future?
To answer those questions, two schools from Fairfield and Bridgeport partnered with Fairfield Museum and History Center (FMHC), challenging their students to design and create proposals for the city of Bridgeport’s urban planning initiatives.
A three-month exhibition, opening Friday, Jan. 27, will showcase the students’ work on sustainable plans for the empty lots and abandoned buildings on upper Main St. in Bridgeport. Also included in the exhibit are students’ innovative computer models, writing, poetry, and photography.
To produce the work featured in the exhibit, a group of 8th grade students from Fairfield's Unquowa School mentored 5th grade students from Bridgeport's New Beginnings Family Academy. Together, students explored the history of the “built environment,” including the architecture of Bridgeport. Through their collaboration, they looked to the future and became problem-solvers and urban planners to develop proposals for revitalization.
According to Christine Jewell, director of education and community programs, “These creative students learned about Bridgeport’s thriving theatre history through contemporary and historical photographs and memorabilia taken by photographer Jay Misencik and featured in FMHC's 'Inside Bridgeport’s Theatres' exhibit, part of the museum's Bravo! A Century of Theatre in Fairfield County exhibition.”
“The students also learned about Bridgeport’s current revitalization efforts and Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch’s 'BGreen 2020' campaign goals to develop sustainable and green initiatives throughout the city,” Jewell added.
“This project illustrates the students’ understanding of the importance of historic preservation and revitalization of neighborhoods and linking the heritage of the past with the community needs of the present,” Jewell explained.
She pointed out that in the detailed research process, the students worked with visiting photographers Craig Norton and Jay Misencik to learn how to explore architecture through photography, focusing on details like texture and pattern. They also took a walking tour with Bridgeport historian Charles Brilvitch to learn about Bridgeport’s architectural and social history.
They formed groups to document changes over time by photographing the architecture of Bridgeport. Then the students visited each other’s schools to develop a design and proposal for an empty building or abandoned lot and demonstrate how the design would benefit the people of Bridgeport. Throughout the process, they were challenged to create a vision for sustainability and positive growth for the future of the city.
“The collaborative process of creative and critical thinking that our students went through to come up with these viable urban revitalization options was a powerful learning experience,” said Sharon Lauer, Head of the Unquowa School.