With the first in a series of planned executions of The Urban Forest Project recently launching in Albuquerque, Fast Company explores the history, genesis and future of the initiative. Focusing on Worldstudio’s expertise in creating and implementing socially-responsible projects and programs for corporations and non-profits, the article uses The Urban Forest Project as a case study to follow Worldstudio’s process in helping their clients connect to key constituencies in lasting and meaningful ways. The article, written by Alissa Walker, was published as part of The Designers Accord case study series.

To learn more about how Worldstudio can engage with your organization to concept and execute grassroots programs unique to your CSR platform, and/or upcoming opportunities to sponsor The Urban Forest Project in Toledo, OH, San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC, contact Andréa Pellegrino or Mark Randall.

The City is bringing this innovative banner program to San Francisco to raise public awareness around greening and tree planting initiatives and education. The Academy of Art University, Adobe Youth Voices and AIGA San Francisco are already on board as key partners on this community-based, public arts and environmental initiative. Once the banners come down, they will be converted into recycled products by students at the Academy of Art University, to be auctioned off to raise money for local tree planting initiatives and education.

Worldstudio originally conceived and executed the project for Times Square Alliance in the Fall of 2006. An unexpected outcome of the New York project was grassroots outreach from cities around the world interested in bringing The Urban Forest to their communities. San Francisco will be the first in a series of planned executions of the project with Albuquerque, New Mexico not far behind.

The project will rely entirely on corporate and foundation contributions. If you are interested in supporting The Urban Forest Project San Francisco or bringing the project to your community, please contact Andréa Pellegrino.

In addition to our unique ability to create custom-tailored projects and programs for clients that demonstrate their CSR platform, Worldstudio has created two highly-visible, global projects that are garnering much attention – The Urban Forest Project and Design Ignites Change.

Each of these initiatives invite participation in a number of ways:

The Urban Forest Project will plant the seeds of sustainability and creativity in cities around the world, offering corporations an unparalleled opportunity for visibility on both global and local levels.

Design Ignites Change, launching in January, brings together talented design students, educational institutions, the business world and civic leaders to foster real solutions to pressing social issues.

To learn more about how these programs can be shaped to meet your marketing goals, click on the links above or contact Andréa Pellegrino at apellegrino@worldstudioinc.com

In each location, artists, designers, students and the general public will employ the idea or form of the tree to make a powerful visual statement on banners that will be displayed throughout the community. The tree is a metaphor for sustainability and, in that spirit, the banners at the close of each exhibition will be recycled into totebags and auctioned off to raise money for a local non-profit organization. Each local project will also incorporate or support an environmental call to action such as tree planting initiatives. Worldstudio is currently in discussions with various cities, community groups and corporations who want to execute and sponsor The Urban Forest Project.

To see banners from the Times Square Urban Forest Project please visit www.ufp-nyc.com.

For more information on how Worldstudio can bring the Urban Forest Project to your area, please contact Andréa Pellegrino at apellegrino@worldstudioinc.com

Worldstudio is proud to announce a new initiative, Design Ignites Change, a collaboration between Adobe Youth Voices and Worldstudio.

The annual program promotes and encourages talented high school and college students across the country to use design thinking and innovation to create solutions to, and messages, for pressing social problems.

The centerpiece of the program will be a dynamic website that showcases the work of the students and provides information to other educators on how they can incorporate socially-minded design thinking into their curriculums. The site will also aid the business community and the general public in understanding the power of design to ignite change.

A major component of Design Ignites Change is a mentoring program where college students, educators and professionals will work with underserved high school students to develop actual projects that will benefit their own communities while giving them voice around important social issues. The program will also serve to introduce these high school students to the creative professions as a career option.

To learn more about how your company, school or organization can participate in Design Ignites Change, please contact Mark Randall at mrandall@worldstudioinc.com