‘Friends & Citizens’ is a summer-long design studio dedicated to combining the academic and professional world of architecture. Three SDSU design students, Meagan Stenzel, Elsie McGuigan, and Becca Woytassek, designed a theoretical mixed-use multistory project located on the 200 Block of Main Street in Downtown Aberdeen. The Citizens Building, built in 1910, has recently fallen into a state of disrepair. Friends & Citizens chose to investigate the feasibility of restoring the building to it’s previous grandeur through construction documents and financial pro-formas. Students collaborated with various entities, including the City of Aberdeen and the Aberdeen Downtown Association.
The mission of ‘Friends & Citizens’ is to have professionals collaborate with students to develop design skills while participating in public policy discussions, developing smart land-use and urban planning strategies, considering sustainability, and most importantly; building vibrant communities. In short, the program wants to improve our neighborhoods and our world as Friends & Citizens.
