8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft

1/5

Pre-ProposaltoCreateaSustainabilityIncubator,

CommunityCenter,and/orMixed-UseUrbanDevelopment

inSeattle

JayStandish

Summary

Ifhyper-individualist,consumer-basedcultureshavewreakedhavocontheworld,how

dowecatalyzeaself-supportivecommunityfocusedoncreativityandproduction?

Thisprojectaimstoenhancetheconnectivity,visibility,andaccessibilityofSeattles

existingsustainabilitymovement.Thismovementiscurrentlyaphysicaldiaspora

ofgreenbusinesses,nonprofits,Nativetribes,governmentagencies,community

andculturalgroups.Byhousingcomplimentaryorganizationsandactivitiesinthe

samephysicalspace,thisprojectseekstoleverageaccessbyproximityintomore

integrationandsuccessforthiscommunity.

PotentialProgramsandTenants

SharedWorkshop/FabLab/Pro-AmStudioSpaceo Deckedoutwithhighqualitytools,machines,computersandother

productionequipment,thisspaceputsexpensive,largeorotherwiseinaccessibleresourcesatyourfingertips.Rentamachineforanhour

ortwo,buyamonthlymembership,orvolunteertoearnaccess.

o Thissharedresourcemodelcouldbeappliedtoalmostanything;musicalinstrumentsandrecordingequipment,3Dprintersandlaser

cutters,abikeshop,acommercialkitchen,etc.

o Examples/models:TechShop,WesternMassachusettsFoodProcessingCenter,

Office(Upstairsand/orGroundFloor)o Sharedofficespaceforstartupsocialenterprises=tinyoverheadand

accesstocriticalresourceslikescanners,designsoftware,conferencerooms,etc.AgreatexampleexistsinToronto.

o Proximitytoothersocialentrepreneursandsustainabilityexpertsmakesthelocationstrategic.

o Greenprofessionals(architects,lawyers,sustainabilityconsultants,naturalmedicine,etc)

o Examples:TorontoCentreforSocialInnovation,OfficeNomads,

8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft

2/5

SocialEnterpriseIncubatoro Anaffordable,perhapsacademicallysupportedconsultancyfor

startups.,eitherforprofitorNGO.

o Byutilizingtheestablishedsustainabilityeffortslocatedinhouse,thisincubatorcouldbethecollaborativeprojectthatactsasacommon

causetocatalyzetruecommunitysolidaritywithinthebuilding.(Perhapsdonatingsomeprobonoservicestoincubatorclientscould

beaformofmembershipdues)

o Possibleinhousemicroventurecapitalcreatesanintimatecircleoftrustandmutualsupportbetweenfunders,entrepreneursandcoaches.

o Modelsandpotentialpartners:TheHub,PrattDesignIncubator,MITGreenHub,GoodCompanyVentures,

GreenJobsTrainingCentero AsdescribedbyGreenForAllandtheLivingCitiesInitiative

(http://www.livingcities.org/green_jobs/index.htm)o Bringsmoresocialjusticefocusintothemix,toaddmore

racial/economicdiversitytothecommunity

Ground-FloorCommercial

o Retailforgreenproducts(clothing,books,specialtyfoods,etc)o GreenArtGalleryo SharedretailspaceforMicroBusinesseso Yoga,spa,wellnessserviceso Bookstoreortoystore;somethingfunandengaging

Hospitalityo Local/Organicbistro,caf,tavern,perhapsevenaboutiqueecohotelo Bringsfoottraffic,newpeople,andthegeneralpublic,thereby

increasingvisibilitybyabroadernetworkofpeople,soitisnotahiddenassetdiscoveredonlybyanintheknownetwork.

ResidentialApartmentso Affordablehousingpricedat/belowneighborhoodlevels.o Marketratehousingprovidesrevenue,communitylocationamajor

draw.

Work/LiveStudiosandLoftso Forthepassionateentrepreneursandartistswhoneedtobenear

theirworkatalltimestotinker!

o Thework/livestudioconnectedtoaretailenvironmentisanideatakenfromGreenExchangeinChicago

VenueforCommunityandCulturalEvents

8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft

3/5

o Asavibranthubformultiplecommunities,thecenterwillhaveflexiblespacestohostadiversityofevents,workshopsandfunctions.

o Thesemightinclude:artclasses,meditation,townhallstylemeetings,danceperformances,healthworkshops,localfoodcookoffs,etc.

o Volunteerismcouldbepromotedthroughavolunteerexchange,

wherebypeopleofferfreeclassesorservicesintheirspecialty,and

earnvolunteercreditswhichtheycanredeemforotherservices,

classesorexperiences.

DesignValues

ReplicableModel-Building:Alearningcommunitytoutilizeandcontributeto

collectiveintelligence

Thedevelopmentofthiscommunitywillbecarefullychronicledbyvideo,webandwrittenmedia.Ourlearningprocesswillactasaresourceforoutsiderswhowould

liketoimplementsimilarprojects.Thiswillbeacriticalprioritytomaintain,asit

willbeasignificantefforttosynthesizeandcommunicatethedevelopmentprocess.

Open-sourceandTransparent

Thedevelopmentprocesswillbeopentobroadcommunitystakeholderinputto

createasenseofownership.Therewillbemanyopportunitiesforpublicinput,toenablecrowdsourcingofideas,andproduceavolunteerbaseofactive

collaborators.

PartnershipStructure

Thisdevelopmentwillbeacollaborativeeffortfrominception.Expandingupon

existingconnectionsandnetworks,theprojectwillcreateefficienciesbyutilizing

thediverseresourcesandabilitiesofitsmembers.Thismodelissomewhatsimilar

toclustereconomics,wherebyproximitytopeerspromotesshortfeedbackloops

andthusmore/bettercommunicationandresilience.

Diversity(economic,cultural,ethnic,biological,ideological,etc.)

Asamixeduse,communityfocuseddevelopment,diversityisacriticalelementof

thiscommunity;itcouldbehometobusinesses,artists,NGOs,restaurants,families,

healthpractitioners,spiritualmentors,etc.Furthermore,afocusoneconomic,culturalandethnicdiversitymustbedeliberateandmaynecessitatespecial

provisions(i.e.rentcontrol,scholarships,grants,academicinitiatives,etc.)

InternationalandInterbioregionalExchange

8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft

4/5

Inthespiritofcooperation,sharing,andculturalexchange,thiscommunitycould

alsohouseprogramsdedicatedtointernational,crossculturalexchange.Assuch,it

couldactastheSustainabilityEmbassyfortheCascadianbioregion,andenable

thetranslationandsharingofstoriesandbestpracticesintherealmsofsustainable

design,agriculture,wisdom,etc.

FocusandLocation

Dependingonthespecificearlyadoptertenantsandtheculturewanttoengender,thiscentercouldbedesignedas:asharedcreativeworkshop,athinktankandliving

laboratorytostudysocialinnovation,abusinessventuretoprovethemodelof

communitysupportedenterprise,oraflagshipforneighborhoodrevitalization.

Ideally,itcouldgrowtoincorporateaspectsofalltheseroles,butintheearly

phases,acoreprogramshouldprobablybechosenasafocustoinitiateandbuild

momentum.

Thelocationmightbechosendependingonwhichsubcommunity(business,art,underserved,etc.)wouldhavethemostaccessbyproximity.Tolocatenearexisting

sustainableenterprises,SouthLakeUnionorBallardwouldbethenaturalchoices.

Toincorporatemoreartists,SoDoorGeorgetowncouldbeagoodchoice.Tobea

resourceforanunderservedcommunity,theCentralorInternationalDistricts

seemappropriate.

Regardlessofwhichneighborhoodischosen,thelongtermvisionistoestablishaflagshipecosocialculturalcenterthatwillattractandinspiretheemergenceof

otherprogressiveenterprisesintheneighborhood.Assuch,thecentercouldbe

positionedtoincubateaneighborhoodrenaissance.

SimilarProjects

TheHubisanincubatorforsocialinnovationwhichstartedinLondonandhas

spreadgloballytotwelvecities.Ablurbfromtheirwebsite:Webelievethatthereis

noabsenceofgoodideasintheworld.Theproblemisacrisisofaccess,scale,resourcesandimpact.Soitfeltvitaltocreateplacesaroundtheworldforaccessing

space,resources,connections,knowledge,experienceandinvestment.

TheGlobalCitizenCenterisalsoinastartupphaseandwillbelocatedinSan

Francisco.ItisaprojectofGlobalExchange,thecreatoroftheGreenFestivalseries.http://www.globalcitizencenter.org/

InPortland,theJeanVollumNaturalCapitalCenter ishometoEcoTrust,Cityof

PortlandOfficeofSustainability,aPatagoniaretailstore,andanorganicpizza

parlor,amongothertenants.Thisisagreenrenovatedbuildingonalightraillinein

PortlandsPearlDistrict.http://www.ecotrust.org/ncc/

8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft

5/5

TheCityofPortlandisalsosupportingthecreationofacrossculturalCommunity

GatheringCenter.ThisideasprungfromworldcafforumsandthecitysVisioninto

Actioninitiative.Moreinfoat:http://www.visionpdx.com/action/initiatives.php

ChicagosGreenExchangeisagreenbusinessesmallthatworkedwiththecityto

createanewlive/workzoningstatus.

Followingtheartisticcurrent,wefindDamanhurabeautifulintentionalart

communityinItaly,everysquareinchiscoveredwithexceptionalmosaics,murals

andsculptures.

TorontosCentreforSocialInnovationstartedasasharedofficefacilityandgrewto

provideorganizationalmentorshipandsupportforitsstartuptenants.