Graham Projects is a Baltimore-based design-build agency making cities more inclusive and livable through public art, placemaking, and civic engagement. Building on backgrounds in public art, urban design, ecology, and neighborhood advocacy, Public Artist Graham Coreil-Allen (he/him) and team produce participatory projects in the service of pedestrians and places. We collaborate with neighbors to understand and activate public space through placemaking projects for pedestrian safety and play. Our team leverages creative outreach strategies for measurable impact; including neighborhood discovery walks, drawing activities, and participatory design workshops. Resulting projects range from traffic calming pavement murals and quick-build urban design features to artistic wayfinding and immersive sculptures.
History
Since founding Graham Projects in 2006, Coreil-Allen has expanded the agency’s services to include a comprehensive array of community-based engagement, design, built, and event strategies. The Graham Projects team has impacted hundreds of thousands through public art urban design installation such as viral-sensation Hopscotch Crosswalks, Reverberations Crosswalks, Dancing Forest at Artscape, Sun Stomp at Light City Baltimore, and COVID-19 tactical urbanism response Curbside Commons. The work of Graham Projects has been featured in numerous exhibits and media outlets including the American Pavilion in the 13th International Venice Architecture Biennale, hit podcast 99% Invisible, public art journal Forecast, the Washington Post, and the cover of BmoreArt.
Approach
In order to Make Place Happen, Graham Projects listens to a diverse array of community partners, including neighbors, businesses, and stakeholders. We leverage community engagement strategies for measurable impact, including culture-based outreach, facilitated discovery walks, in-person pop-ups, virtual participatory design workshops, and surveys. Based on public input our team develops realistic design options that we share at community meetings and online. Responding to feedback, we adapt designs to reflect public insights and preferences.
Graham Projects shared best practices and case studies to stretch the public imagination of possibility while working within existing resources to design durable public art and tactical urbanism projects supported by practical maintenance plans. We work closely with municipal agencies and property owners to develop detailed budgets, secure site control and execute construction. Within each project we create space for residents and stakeholders to contribute to and take ownership of their placemaking installation through community paint and build days.
We have experience working in a range of design-build processes; including traditional municipal public art commissions, festival-based temporary projects, community-based initiatives funded by grants, in collaboration with architectural and urban planning teams, and in partnership with larger general contractors.