Our Mission
DownCity Design (DCD) is a non-profit community design studio that empowers people to imagine and create better futures for their communities, using the tools of design.
Our vision
DownCity Design is a community organization working to build a city of problem solvers. We empower students, educators, and community members to use design skills to improve the places where they live, work, and play. DCD was founded in 2009 by Adrienne Gagnon and Manuel Cordero, with the mission of improving Providence by getting young people involved in designing and building solutions for their communities.
Our Work
In our free youth programs, Providence teens design and fabricate new amenities to improve their communities. Since our founding, over 3500 participants in our free afterschool and summer design programs have collaboratively built more than 125+ permanent amenities for public spaces in and around Providence, including community gardens, outdoor classrooms for public schools and creative play structures for parks.
Currently, our 14 free youth programs engage 350 underserved teens annually in creating structures and graphics for public spaces. Our programs help participants develop essential skills and habits of mind like collaboration, communication, creative problem solving, and persistence. In 2019, DCD was named Afterschool Program of the Year by the RI Afterschool Network.
More than 280 adults have also participated in our free professional development programs, learning to use the design process to generate innovative solutions for topics including affordable housing, community-based agriculture, creative placemaking and public education.
FINANCIALS
Our annual reports document the creativity, growth, and achievements of the young designers we serve at DownCity Design. Inside, you’ll find stories of community impact, program milestones, and the collective efforts of our educators, partners, and supporters who help make our mission possible.
Explore how we're building a more inclusive future through design — together!
