Richard Carroll

2017 - Rich is an architect who likes to dig into the history and partnerships behind his projects. Design is just part of the equation. “The big thing for me to remember that physical design is only a part of what needs to happen for a community to be revitalized. Sometimes design is a driver, but a lot of time it needs to take a back seat. Getting to know the people in the community and helping them to understand what thoughtful design can do for them has a longer term impact. It can empower them to continue to make good design decisions long after my work is done.”

Rich says that the most reward part of volunteering has been the people. “There is an overall sense of pride and ownership in the city that does not exist in many of the other places I have spent time. On another level, it is the quality of the urban space and how it modulates across the various neighborhoods. I really enjoy going to areas of the city that I have not been to before and experiencing the fabric of the city there.”

Rich led the volunteer team for Frankford CDC, which received the Collaborative's 2016 Outstanding Team Award for exemplary commitment to community design as a team of individual volunteers.