Alley Project
Installation, 2021
Ann Arbor, USA
Design: ZHANG Jie, YE Zi
Shortlist Nomination of the Alley Project Competition
This public art project, created for the 2021 opening of the Ann Arbor Art Center, explores the potential of urban public spaces in a post-COVID world. Located in a twenty-meter-long alley between Main Street and Ashley Street, the project seeks to transform this space into a dynamic venue for both the opening events and future pop-up street businesses.
The Alley Project invites closed restaurants, bakeries, and cafés to participate in the Alley Pop-up Plan, helping them revive their businesses while fostering a renewed sense of community.
The project’s core structure consists of clusters of 2cm PVC tubing, which are attached to the buildings on both sides of the alley. This forms a semi-transparent "ceiling" that can be adjusted for different public events. To support the pop-up businesses, tables and chairs—recycled from the shuttered street vendors—serve as movable elements of the system. During pop-up events, the furniture can be easily rearranged within the alley, and after the event, it can be stored to clear the space for vehicle access.
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About
The Lab
Founded in 2019, ReBuild Lab focus on urban spaces and everyday constructions.
Outstanding Proposal (2023, China)Zhoushan Hello Islands Installation Competition
Honorable Mention (2023, Italy)
Reuse Italy Competition
Honorable Mention (2022, Estonia)
Tallinn Architecture Biennale-Vision Competition
Shortlist Nomination (2021, USA)
Ann Arbor Art Center-Alley Project
First Place (2020, UK)
Bubble Future Competition
Second Place (2019, India)
Archasm Competition
Members
ZHANG Jie / 张婕is a spatial designer and artist based in Shanghai. She trained as an architect at Huaqiao University and the University of Hong Kong from 2013 to 2020. Since relocating to Shanghai in 2020, she has focused on small-scale installations and spatial design, while continuously providing commercial interior design services for retail companies and government projects.
YANG Chen / 杨晨 is an architectural designer and illustrator based in Florence. He studied architecture at Huaqiao University (2013-2018) and Politecnico di Torino (2019-2021), and has worked at WNA Architects in Torino and ACE Srl. in Florence.
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