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Donna Sink

Donna Sink

Indianapolis, IN, US

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Highland Community Greenspace Shade Structure from recycled RCA Dome fabric

I am an 8-year Board member of People for Urban Progress. This non-profit began with the decision by two people that the fabric roof of the soon-to-be-demolished RCA Dome in Indianapolis should not be allowed to end up in a landfill. Michael Bricker, our Executive Director, navigated the labyrinth of City, State, and League approvals to gain control of 13 acres of fabric, and began the non-profit to use that resource to make progress. 

Initially the Dome fabric was used to make wallets, bags, sketchbooks, and other small accessories. The sale of these products funded larger urban design projects. Simultaneously, PUP began training sewers, designers, and fabricators in their small-scale manufacturing facility. 

The Highland Neighborhood Community Greenspace is a small neighborhood parklet created by the activism of the neighborhood association working together with the non-profit Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. People for Urban Progress designed, fabricated, and installed a shade structure for the park, as well as helping coordinate a public volunteer day to install the plant material. (I was architect for the shade structure.) 

 
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Status: Built
Location: Indianapolis, IN, US
Additional Credits: Michael Bricker, Designer