DESIGN EMPOWERMENT PHX

Community-Led Design for South Phoenix

Design Empowerment PHX began in 2019 as a community-led initiative of The Sagrado to support South Phoenix residents in shaping the environments that shape their lives. Grounded in the belief that everyone should have the tools to imagine, influence, and improve the places they live, the program invites community members to explore design as both a practical and creative tool for meaningful change.

HOW IT WORKS

Through hands-on workshops and collaborative projects, youth and adults of all ages engage in real initiatives rooted in their own neighborhoods. Participants learn foundational design principles by actively exploring ideas, contributing to community visions, and developing skills that strengthen creative confidence and civic agency.

Design Empowerment PHX bridges design education with community voice—enabling residents to participate directly in conversations about development, cultural identity, and the future of South Phoenix.

WHY IT MATTERS

Design affects everyday life—from streets and parks to homes and gathering places. Yet access to design decision-making has historically been limited for many communities.

This program demystifies design and opens pathways for residents to engage in shaping the spaces that impact their daily lives. It reframes design as accessible, collaborative, and rooted in cultural knowledge.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A WORKSHOP

Workshops are interactive, reflective, and grounded in neighborhood priorities. Participants engage in:

Collaborative design activities
Visual thinking, sketching, mapping, and spatial awareness exercises
Community dialogue around cultural values and future visions
Projects that reflect participants’ ideas back into the neighborhood fabric

Each session centers shared learning—where every voice contributes to collective insight.

ADOBE BRICK MAKING WORKSHOPS

Ancestral Design Rooted in Land and Tradition

As part of Design Empowerment PHX, our Adobe Brick Making Workshops invite community members into a hands-on experience with natural building traditions. Participants learn the adobe process from soil to form—mixing earth, water, and straw to create bricks using techniques passed down through generations.

These workshops are intentionally held in spaces connected to the origins of our learning, honoring ancestral knowledge and reconnecting participants to land-based design practices. Through collective making, we explore how traditional building methods continue to inform sustainable and culturally rooted approaches to environment and shelter.

Participants may also encounter examples of natural building techniques—including adobe, straw-bale, and earthen plaster—offering insight into alternative models of construction grounded in ecological awareness and cultural continuity.

This is a shared, intergenerational experience where each one teaches one—strengthening community through collective learning.

Adobe workshops are offered throughout the year. Check back for upcoming dates and registration details.

Bring Design Empowerment to Your School or Community

For workshop inquiries and collaboration opportunities:
info@thesagrado.org