Helen Johnson and Josh McManus of CreateHere in Chattanooga, TN, talk with Cities x Design about nurturing the creative economy in their city. Their discussion touches on the innovative non-profit model of their organization, how they meet staffing challenges and the advantages of being privately funded.

Steve Wilson, Founder, 21c Museum Hotel, talks to Cities x Design about philanthropy, collecting art, regenerating a city center and why he chose to open an art hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

In 1791, French-born architect Pierre L’Enfant was commissioned by Georges Washington to imagine and design the layout of the US capital city. The plans developed by L’Enfant transformed Washington D.C. into a modern city with broad avenues and monumental public buildings. Washington is different from other American cities because it was primarily designed to symbolize and encapsulate the ideals of American democracy through its built environment. As the city evolved, it was confronted to common modern urban issues such as population growth, housing, and crime. Today Washington is at the start of a new chapter in which it is trying to reconcile two profiles: one as the national symbol and capital city, the other as a modern 21st century city that hopes to fulfill the needs of its residents.

Washington D.C. is the city of monuments and memorials. Sculptures, buildings, walls, fountains and countless other objects and spaces are scattered around the city as reminders of past events, historic figures or fallen soldiers. The design style and aesthetics of those monuments, that stretch from baroque to post-modernism, left us wondering about the obscure field of monument design.

Washington is the seat of government but also a city with best practice models for sustainability and preservation. One example is the Metrorail, a local landmark and a masterpiece of brutalist architecture that ranks as one of the best public works of the 20th century. It was designed in the late sixties by Chicago architect Harry Weese who studied at MIT under Alvaar Aalto. and was later influenced by his contemporaries Charles and Ray Eames. To innovate its existing transit system, the city recently introduced a new generation of bike stations that can house 130 bicycles in its 1600 sq. ft. of free standing glass and steel design.

The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum complex that includes  19 museums, 17 of which are located in Washington D.C. One can look at it as a cluster of varied architectural buildings or a giant display of over 136 million objects, artworks and specimens. Visitors have free access and usually make the effort to walk the long distances from one building to another – the Smithsonian website clearly advises people to wear comfortable shoes before a visit.

Due to our limited schedule, we narrowed our visit to the National Museum of the American Indian (pictured above). We were initially attracted to its controversial postmodern design which was previously referred to as “native by design” by the National Geographic magazine. The building was designed by several Native American architects – Douglas Cardinal, a Blackfeet Indian; Johnpaul Jones, a Cherokee/Choctaw; Ramona Sakiestewa, a Hopi, Donna House, a Navajo/Oneida, and Lou Weller, a Caddo Indian – and its construction was assisted by a Native American Design  Collaborative known as the Table Mountain Rancheria Enterprises.

The museum has an exterior cladding of Kasota dolomitic limestone that give the building the appearance of a stratified stone mass that has been carved by wind and water. The interior is unfortunately more conventional and consists of dark gallery spaces generously filled with over a million artefacts.

A temporary exhibition called Ramp It Up: Skateboard Culture in Native America caught our attention. By looking beyond the traditional representations of Native American culture, this show reflects indigenous culture in a 21st century context. We learned that skateboarding has inspired many Native American youths to start their own companies and build community-based skate parks in the United States. By fusing design, graphic art, filmmaking, and music through skateboard culture, those individuals are affirming their identity within contemporary American society, perhaps to also show that their heritage is vibrant and alive.

Philadelphia is a centerpiece of American History, the place where the American constitution was drafted in the late 18th century. It is a city with a strong physical heritage that sometimes strikingly resembles the streets and architecture of Europe. Today, Philadelphia is in the process of reinventing itself and following the effects of a post-industrial decline, it is now harnessing its creative potential to redevelop itself. With a new brand “With Love Philadelphia XoXo” and events like Design Philadelphia, the city is looking to reflect a younger image and perhaps attract crowds from neighboring cities like New York City and Washington, DC. With the fourth largest GDP in the United States (after New York, Los Angeles and Chicago) Philadelphia has the economic resources to invest in its creative industries to boost its profile to an international scale.

Philadelphia is one of America’s most cultural cities with countless museums, performing arts centers and historic sites. The city also has a unique mural arts program that encourages individuals to collaborate with their communities and together transform public spaces. As the former center for the American textiles industry, Philadelphia continues to promote that heritage through the Fabric Workshop and Museum that includes an artist-in-residence program dedicated to experimentations with fibers. Following the same theme but moving much beyond textiles, Fabric Row is a neighborhood that gathers independent retailers and has become one of the creative districts of the city.

The Design Center at Philadelphia University boasts an impressive fashion archive and stunning gallery spaces exhibiting past and present design works. The center’s mission is to show that design participates and shapes everyday life. Its collection is often used by design students and scholarly research but is also appreciated by design connoisseurs and aficionados.

The Design Center at Philadelphia University is located at the former private residence of Goldie Pailey (mother of CBS founder, William Pailey). The house borrows from California’s mid-century modern architecture. Even though the house has been converted into a gallery, the interiors have been kept intact. It features a beautiful 50’s kitchen with original appliances – that serves as a meeting room, closet spaces and bathrooms, including one that is being used as a site-specific installation room filled with light bulbs. Some vintage cabinets and drawers have been turned into mini fiber galleries by designer Todd Oldham  (pictured above). In fact, there is not a single space that is not creatively occupied at the Design Center. It is a real cabinet of curiosities.

Lace in Translation (pictured above) is the latest exhibition at the Design Center. Dutch design studios Demakersvan, Cal Lane and Tord Boontje were given access to the Quaker Lace Company’s collection to re-interpret the pieces and produce something new. The results are original pieces of contemporary furniture, garden sculptures and interior objects that reflect the delicate complexities of lacing.

Chicago is a great promoter of architecture and has introduced accessible ways to share its love for the built environment through its Architecture Foundation. Founded in 1966, this non-profit organization first began by offering lectures and volunteer-led tours to the public. Today, its programs also include exhibitions and educational activities for both children and adults. The wide range of tour offerings have made the foundation increasingly popular with tourists who seek to experience the city’s architecture through river boat cruises, bus rides or walks. Themed tours have also been designed around suburban designs and the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Chicago: A Model City (pictured above) is the latest exhibition showcased at the Foundation’s CitySpace Gallery.