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Professor Bob Orttung speaks with members of the fellowship program outside of Professor's Gate on the George Washington University campus.
Courtesy of the GW Sustainability Research Fellowship program
November 06, 2023
The Woonerf Group: GW Sustainability Research fellows propose improvements to campus urban design
At the start of 2023, a group of five sustainability-minded students began designing and implementing a project to improve George Washington University’s use of outdoor space in Foggy Bottom and maximize the social, environmental, and safety benefits the urban campus could yield. Their idea was to turn a typical city street into a woonerf, a “living street” that prioritizes pedestrians over vehicles via certain design elements that encourage interactions and engagement in a safe, shared street environment.
With the accidents and near misses of walkers and bikers, the potential to increase stormwater management and native biodiversity, and the lack of a feeling of a unified campus in the city, the woonerf is a unique opportunity and necessary change to improve student safety, protect our environment, and revitalize the campus community. Browse the StoryMap below to learn more about their journey so far and the details of the project!
