Octopus Garden

The Octopus Garden in Friendship officially took root in 2009 and over time, transformed from impermeable vacant lot into raised garden beds and soft ground, supporting life in many and often unexpected ways. Beyond growing fruits and veggies, the Garden is an excellent example of place-making and advocates for environmental sustainability. The Garden's founder, Associate Professor in Carnegie Mellon's School of Design, Kristin Hughes, will share what the process for developing the garden was like and discuss the challenges and joys of running a successful community space.

Kristin Hughes is an Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Design. Her work is transdisciplinary and place-based. Specifically, it focuses on how community-designed solutions can catalyze social and civic engagement. By employing design research methods that combine critical and creative thinking, her research through design approach helps communities identify factors of motivation and agency while celebrating individual identity and voice.