From Awkward Intersection to Awesome Interactions.

Street Scrabble was a community event designed to test an underutilized intersection as a community gathering place. The intersection of University, Union, and Boylston streets was an expanse of asphalt that was confusing to cars, bikes, and pedestrians alike. Identified by the Department of Transportation as a potential pavement-to-park opportunity, some in the community were unable to imagine the intersection as quality open space. To change the conversation we built a giant word game that became the center of a very successful event to test possible use of the space.

Planters were brought in to enclose a portion of the intersection. With food trucks and music, the game brought together neighborhood residents of all ages in friendly word play competition.

The event made the potential of the space clear to all; several months later we re-designed the space, re-dubbed by neighbors as ‘Pool Park’ so that people could use the space on a daily basis.

Collaborators: City of Seattle, First Hill Improvement Association, The Better Block Program, Fehr and Peers