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About This Project
CREEKSIDE FOOD CO-OP, ELKINS PARK, PA
The Creekside Co-op serves as a place to buy healthy food, a community gathering space, and an anchor for the commercial district near the Elkins Park train station. As a member of the design committee, Amy Cuker helped develop the visual concept of “modern country store” and establish the finishes and color palette. Amy was responsible for creating drawings and material boards as well as making presentations to the co-op board and the community to get buy in on the proposed finishes and graphics. Then, working with project manager and casework designer Bruce Starr, Amy consulted during project construction to ensure that the implementation of the design would fulfill the organization’s vision.
The community space was particularly fun to work on, as it employs many green design strategies that are very much in keeping with Creekside’s environmental ethos, including:
- A ceiling structure that was left exposed and painted a weathered white, adding character and eliminating the need for new ceiling materials
- tables that were made from salvaged wood beams that were removed during the building’s renovation
- seating from a “give a chair a job” campaign. Community members donated chairs, which we checked for structural integrity and then painted bold colors with the help of student volunteers.
The store has breathed life into this small downtown area, sparking a revitalization that added restaurants and a theatre workshop as neighboring tenants.
Creekside Co-op photos by Zach Kassutto
