DESIGN PROCESS
Transform 1012 intentionally structured the design architect selection as a process rooted in equity, transparency, and reparative justice. Rather than following a conventional competition model, the organization launched the process in November 2022 with Redesigning the Design Competition. The forum invited the community to reimagine new ways of evaluating design teams, and by emphasizing values-driven criteria over conventional RFQs, it established the tone for the year ahead.
By mid-2023, Transform 1012 invited candidates to submit a Statement of Values and Commitments, asking them to articulate their approach to spatial justice, resource redistribution, and community healing, ensuring their philosophy aligned with the mission. From the 27 submissions received, four exceptional teams advanced to Design Week in October 2023. There, each team developed and presented concept proposals that engaged with the building’s fraught history and the aspirations for The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing.
Public presentations and exhibitions enabled community stakeholders to shape and respond to each team’s vision. In late 2023, a team was officially selected as the design architects, marking the culmination of a year-long process of dialogue, creative exploration, and alignment of values. In 2024, this deliberate process not only advanced the architectural vision for The Center but also modeled how a design selection can itself be an act of transformation—foregrounding community input, truth-telling, and the pursuit of justice. We held two conversations to hear from our community’s vision for The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. One at Artes de la Rosa in the Northside. Here are two great stories from the event, Fort Worth Star Telegram and Fort Worth Report. The second conversation was held at Blank Space on the East side. You can read the article from the Fort Worth Report here.
As with any long-term and complex adaptive reuse project, teams may evolve as we move from vision to implementation. Following the concept development phase, as of July 28, 2025, Transform 1012 entered a new chapter in its design journey, marked by a transition in design leadership.
Germane Barnes (Studio Barnes) and Dennis Chiessa (ch_studio) will continue to lead the design effort, ensuring continuity of vision and deep alignment with the mission of The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. GFF, with Maria Gomez as Principal in Charge, now joins the design group, expanding its capacity while also serving as the Architect of Record. Together, this leadership team brings both continuity and expanded expertise to guide the project forward.
This evolution reflects both the project’s progress and our ongoing commitment to creating a design that honors the values, history, and community at the heart of The Center. Our current design leadership team remains dedicated to advancing the project toward construction and delivering a space that embodies reparative justice.