Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft
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8/14/2019 Social Innovation Incubator: Concept Draft
1/5
Pre-ProposaltoCreateaSustainabilityIncubator,
CommunityCenter,and/orMixed-UseUrbanDevelopment
inSeattle
JayStandish
Summary
Ifhyper-individualist,consumer-basedcultureshavewreakedhavocontheworld,how
dowecatalyzeaself-supportivecommunityfocusedoncreativityandproduction?
Thisprojectaimstoenhancetheconnectivity,visibility,andaccessibilityofSeattles
existingsustainabilitymovement.Thismovementiscurrentlyaphysicaldiaspora
ofgreenbusinesses,nonprofits,Nativetribes,governmentagencies,community
andculturalgroups.Byhousingcomplimentaryorganizationsandactivitiesinthe
samephysicalspace,thisprojectseekstoleverageaccessbyproximityintomore
integrationandsuccessforthiscommunity.
PotentialProgramsandTenants
SharedWorkshop/FabLab/Pro-AmStudioSpaceo Deckedoutwithhighqualitytools,machines,computersandother
productionequipment,thisspaceputsexpensive,largeorotherwiseinaccessibleresourcesatyourfingertips.Rentamachineforanhour
ortwo,buyamonthlymembership,orvolunteertoearnaccess.
o Thissharedresourcemodelcouldbeappliedtoalmostanything;musicalinstrumentsandrecordingequipment,3Dprintersandlaser
cutters,abikeshop,acommercialkitchen,etc.
o Examples/models:TechShop,WesternMassachusettsFoodProcessingCenter,
Office(Upstairsand/orGroundFloor)o Sharedofficespaceforstartupsocialenterprises=tinyoverheadand
accesstocriticalresourceslikescanners,designsoftware,conferencerooms,etc.AgreatexampleexistsinToronto.
o Proximitytoothersocialentrepreneursandsustainabilityexpertsmakesthelocationstrategic.
o Greenprofessionals(architects,lawyers,sustainabilityconsultants,naturalmedicine,etc)
o Examples:TorontoCentreforSocialInnovation,OfficeNomads,
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SocialEnterpriseIncubatoro Anaffordable,perhapsacademicallysupportedconsultancyfor
startups.,eitherforprofitorNGO.
o Byutilizingtheestablishedsustainabilityeffortslocatedinhouse,thisincubatorcouldbethecollaborativeprojectthatactsasacommon
causetocatalyzetruecommunitysolidaritywithinthebuilding.(Perhapsdonatingsomeprobonoservicestoincubatorclientscould
beaformofmembershipdues)
o Possibleinhousemicroventurecapitalcreatesanintimatecircleoftrustandmutualsupportbetweenfunders,entrepreneursandcoaches.
o Modelsandpotentialpartners:TheHub,PrattDesignIncubator,MITGreenHub,GoodCompanyVentures,
GreenJobsTrainingCentero AsdescribedbyGreenForAllandtheLivingCitiesInitiative
(http://www.livingcities.org/green_jobs/index.htm)o Bringsmoresocialjusticefocusintothemix,toaddmore
racial/economicdiversitytothecommunity
Ground-FloorCommercial
o Retailforgreenproducts(clothing,books,specialtyfoods,etc)o GreenArtGalleryo SharedretailspaceforMicroBusinesseso Yoga,spa,wellnessserviceso Bookstoreortoystore;somethingfunandengaging
Hospitalityo Local/Organicbistro,caf,tavern,perhapsevenaboutiqueecohotelo Bringsfoottraffic,newpeople,andthegeneralpublic,thereby
increasingvisibilitybyabroadernetworkofpeople,soitisnotahiddenassetdiscoveredonlybyanintheknownetwork.
ResidentialApartmentso Affordablehousingpricedat/belowneighborhoodlevels.o Marketratehousingprovidesrevenue,communitylocationamajor
draw.
Work/LiveStudiosandLoftso Forthepassionateentrepreneursandartistswhoneedtobenear
theirworkatalltimestotinker!
o Thework/livestudioconnectedtoaretailenvironmentisanideatakenfromGreenExchangeinChicago
VenueforCommunityandCulturalEvents
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o Asavibranthubformultiplecommunities,thecenterwillhaveflexiblespacestohostadiversityofevents,workshopsandfunctions.
o Thesemightinclude:artclasses,meditation,townhallstylemeetings,danceperformances,healthworkshops,localfoodcookoffs,etc.
o Volunteerismcouldbepromotedthroughavolunteerexchange,
wherebypeopleofferfreeclassesorservicesintheirspecialty,and
earnvolunteercreditswhichtheycanredeemforotherservices,
classesorexperiences.
DesignValues
ReplicableModel-Building:Alearningcommunitytoutilizeandcontributeto
collectiveintelligence
Thedevelopmentofthiscommunitywillbecarefullychronicledbyvideo,webandwrittenmedia.Ourlearningprocesswillactasaresourceforoutsiderswhowould
liketoimplementsimilarprojects.Thiswillbeacriticalprioritytomaintain,asit
willbeasignificantefforttosynthesizeandcommunicatethedevelopmentprocess.
Open-sourceandTransparent
Thedevelopmentprocesswillbeopentobroadcommunitystakeholderinputto
createasenseofownership.Therewillbemanyopportunitiesforpublicinput,toenablecrowdsourcingofideas,andproduceavolunteerbaseofactive
collaborators.
PartnershipStructure
Thisdevelopmentwillbeacollaborativeeffortfrominception.Expandingupon
existingconnectionsandnetworks,theprojectwillcreateefficienciesbyutilizing
thediverseresourcesandabilitiesofitsmembers.Thismodelissomewhatsimilar
toclustereconomics,wherebyproximitytopeerspromotesshortfeedbackloops
andthusmore/bettercommunicationandresilience.
Diversity(economic,cultural,ethnic,biological,ideological,etc.)
Asamixeduse,communityfocuseddevelopment,diversityisacriticalelementof
thiscommunity;itcouldbehometobusinesses,artists,NGOs,restaurants,families,
healthpractitioners,spiritualmentors,etc.Furthermore,afocusoneconomic,culturalandethnicdiversitymustbedeliberateandmaynecessitatespecial
provisions(i.e.rentcontrol,scholarships,grants,academicinitiatives,etc.)
InternationalandInterbioregionalExchange
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Inthespiritofcooperation,sharing,andculturalexchange,thiscommunitycould
alsohouseprogramsdedicatedtointernational,crossculturalexchange.Assuch,it
couldactastheSustainabilityEmbassyfortheCascadianbioregion,andenable
thetranslationandsharingofstoriesandbestpracticesintherealmsofsustainable
design,agriculture,wisdom,etc.
FocusandLocation
Dependingonthespecificearlyadoptertenantsandtheculturewanttoengender,thiscentercouldbedesignedas:asharedcreativeworkshop,athinktankandliving
laboratorytostudysocialinnovation,abusinessventuretoprovethemodelof
communitysupportedenterprise,oraflagshipforneighborhoodrevitalization.
Ideally,itcouldgrowtoincorporateaspectsofalltheseroles,butintheearly
phases,acoreprogramshouldprobablybechosenasafocustoinitiateandbuild
momentum.
Thelocationmightbechosendependingonwhichsubcommunity(business,art,underserved,etc.)wouldhavethemostaccessbyproximity.Tolocatenearexisting
sustainableenterprises,SouthLakeUnionorBallardwouldbethenaturalchoices.
Toincorporatemoreartists,SoDoorGeorgetowncouldbeagoodchoice.Tobea
resourceforanunderservedcommunity,theCentralorInternationalDistricts
seemappropriate.
Regardlessofwhichneighborhoodischosen,thelongtermvisionistoestablishaflagshipecosocialculturalcenterthatwillattractandinspiretheemergenceof
otherprogressiveenterprisesintheneighborhood.Assuch,thecentercouldbe
positionedtoincubateaneighborhoodrenaissance.
SimilarProjects
TheHubisanincubatorforsocialinnovationwhichstartedinLondonandhas
spreadgloballytotwelvecities.Ablurbfromtheirwebsite:Webelievethatthereis
noabsenceofgoodideasintheworld.Theproblemisacrisisofaccess,scale,resourcesandimpact.Soitfeltvitaltocreateplacesaroundtheworldforaccessing
space,resources,connections,knowledge,experienceandinvestment.
TheGlobalCitizenCenterisalsoinastartupphaseandwillbelocatedinSan
Francisco.ItisaprojectofGlobalExchange,thecreatoroftheGreenFestivalseries.http://www.globalcitizencenter.org/
InPortland,theJeanVollumNaturalCapitalCenter ishometoEcoTrust,Cityof
PortlandOfficeofSustainability,aPatagoniaretailstore,andanorganicpizza
parlor,amongothertenants.Thisisagreenrenovatedbuildingonalightraillinein
PortlandsPearlDistrict.http://www.ecotrust.org/ncc/
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TheCityofPortlandisalsosupportingthecreationofacrossculturalCommunity
GatheringCenter.ThisideasprungfromworldcafforumsandthecitysVisioninto
Actioninitiative.Moreinfoat:http://www.visionpdx.com/action/initiatives.php
ChicagosGreenExchangeisagreenbusinessesmallthatworkedwiththecityto
createanewlive/workzoningstatus.
Followingtheartisticcurrent,wefindDamanhurabeautifulintentionalart
communityinItaly,everysquareinchiscoveredwithexceptionalmosaics,murals
andsculptures.
TorontosCentreforSocialInnovationstartedasasharedofficefacilityandgrewto
provideorganizationalmentorshipandsupportforitsstartuptenants.