Menu

“Build-A-Better Bus Stop” Design Contest Winner To be Decided This Saturday

Share:

Better Bus Stop Design
Competition Finals

This Saturday May 4th
6 – 9 pm
Better Block Foundation HQ
700 West Davis
Look, Judge, Vote.

Every year the Dallas-based non-profit Better Block Foundation sponsors a design competition that challenges teams of engineers, architects, and creators to come up with more people-friendly ways for city residents to interact in an urban environment.

Downwinders at Risk is one of this year’s contest sponsors because it’s all about building a more people-friendly bus stop that’s also trying to minimize riders’ exposure to street level Particulate Matter pollution (PM.) Better Block was inspired to tackle this problem via its collaboration with Downwinders at Risk back in December on our Electric Glide Pub Crawl. This is a great example of how simply talking more about PM pollution can trigger a cascade of unintended beneficial effects.

Better Block gave 11 teams $250, four hours on their CNC router (basically, a giant printer for wood), and freedom to create whatever they want, as long as it’s a bus stop. Nine teams made 90 second videos on their designs you can see at the bottom of Better Block’s home page. They include a local couple, a Boston collective, Dallas’ own City Lab High School and UTA grads.

On Saturday those teams will actually build their prototypes at Better Block headquarters on West Davis. They’ll have judges determine a winner, but the public can also pick its favorite stop.  Live Music and food trucks on site. Come and see the future while you wait for election returns.

Keep Exploring Our Work

ForwardDallas

We are reclaiming our neighborhoods by embedding life-changing environmental justice policies into the city’s DNA, finally putting an end to industrial pollution and ensuring every resident breathes clean air.

Justice For Joppa

A community-based scientific investigation in Dallas that researches the link between industrial air pollution and the health of residents in the historic Joppa neighborhood to advocate for environmental justice and policy change.

Environmental Justice for Fort Worth

We are partnering with the Fort Worth Environmental Coalition of Communities to secure environmental justice by blocking industrial expansion and encroachment in the city’s 2050 Land Use Plan.

Toxic Twins

We are fighting to remove the GAF and TAMKO asphalt shingle factories to end decades of toxic emissions and reduce the heavy pollution burden on the West Dallas and Joppa communities.

Singleton United/ GAFS Gotta Go

A community-led movement that has fought since 2021 for the removal of the GAF asphalt shingle plant from West Dallas to protect residents from air pollution and industrial health hazards.

Floral Farms Neighborhood

Since 2017, we have partnered with the Floral Farms community to eliminate the Shingle Mountain dump and achieve systemic zoning reforms to prevent future environmental injustice.