2009 - Tom Halliwell is a civil engineer who works as a Project Manager at Duffield Associates and was named a Community Design Collaborative 2009 Outstanding Volunteer for his work on the Greening of Greene Street Friends project.  With Tom’s assistance, the volunteer team developed a conceptual landscape plan for Greene Street Friends School that would incorporate sustainability measures and enhance the students’ play experience.

Why do you volunteer with the Collaborative?
I volunteer with the collaborative to give time to help deserving clients. The recipients of the Collaborative’s grants are non-profits who are trying to make a positive difference in the Philadelphia area, and volunteering with the Collaborative gives them a hand.

What was your most memorable Collaborative project?
I had a chance to work on the Greening of Greene Street Friends School in 2009. The most memorable aspect was meeting with the School’s task force for the project, including one of the students of the lower school. The student, about nine years old, listened attentively to the design team’s presentation. Then, when asked, he gave some very relevant feedback about the proposed improvements, telling us what he liked about what we were proposing. Clearly, a thoughtful school design has an effect on young students.

What have you gained through volunteering with the Collaborative?
Working with the Collaborative has given me the opportunity to begin to improve a small part of the community while meeting and working with some excellent peers.

What are your professional interests?  What other projects are you working on?
My interests are sustainable site design, especially stormwater management through green infrastructure. Right now I’m working on a 22-building mixed-use neighborhood development on about 80 acres that proposes many green infrastructure elements.

Describe your first brush with design. What made you want to become a design professional?
I really first got acquainted with design while working as part of a collegiate team in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Concrete Canoe Competition at Drexel University. I learned that the science and the technology form the basis of engineering design, but many other aspects are needed for a successful project, like management, leadership, and craftsmanship.

How do you like to spend your spare time?
Making improvements to a rowhouse in Powelton Village while listening to sports talk radio.