OPEN GYM

Visit during open weekly, drop-in hours to explore and design and exercise your creativity at our community design studio/third space at Silk Screen Studios in the Norris Square (Olde Kensington/North Philadelphia) neighborhood of Philly.

Open Gym hours serve to promote your own curiosity, innovation, and continuous learning YOUR WAY. Visit us to:

✍🏽 Bring a project

💻 Co-work (we’ve got wifi)

🖊️ Try our design exercises

🧩 Play our design games, toys + puzzles

📚 Look through our design library

🧊 Brain break

This free/pay-what-you-wish model allows access to our design library of books, games, puzzles, tools, activities + exercises to guide you along your design journey.

ALL ARE WELCOME, including outside food + drink.

Coach on-site for assistance and guidance.

WALK-INS WELCOME + DESIGN EXPERIENCE NOT REQUIRED

WEDENSDAY to FRIDAY, 2:00-6:00PM

STORYTIME + DESIGN

Storytime + Design is a weekly creative experience diving into a book and fun design exercises to grow your creativity and design process. We welcome all ages and identities on the designer journey.

Age range of books will vary, design exercises adaptable for all.

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED + DESIGN COACH ASSISTED

OPEN TO ALL adult and youth designers.

FRIDAYS @ 10:30AM: Encouraged for families and neighbors that enjoy stories, especially with younger and school-aged designers

COMING SOON: In-depth design + creativity books on the way for our deep thinkers!

  • Walking: Cross-streets of Hancock and Berks.

    Biking:

    • Bring your bike into the building, or use the bike room is in the loading dock area along Hancock Street

    • Indego Bike Stations available at 2nd & Norris Sts (2 blocks away), Front & Berks Sts/Berks MFL (3 blocks away)

    Accessible via SEPTA:

    • Berks stop on the Market-Frankford Line (3 blocks away)

    • Bus Route: 3 on Berks Street, 57 on N. American Street (2 blocks away)

    Driving:

    Street parking is available immediately on the block of the building, and two-hour parking north of Berks Street.

    • Find us in the directory to the right of the glass, double-door entrance, we’re listed as “Design Gym Studio #101.” Give us a call and we’ll buzz you right in.

    • There is a zero-step entrance into the building with steps and chair lift to bring you to our floor, the first floor.

    • Upon reaching our floor it ramps down to our studio.

    • The building was an existing building, in our space there is small 1.5- to 3-inch lip between the two areas of our space that has been highlighted with purple light to see the change in levels.

    • One accessible bathroom are available on our floor.

    • Please reach out with other specific accessibility questions or requests and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

    • Two bathrooms on our level, with one (1) accessible bathroom.

    • There is a communal kitchen with a sink, microwave, and a refrigerator.

    • Water fountain and refilling station.

    • WiFi

    • Masks are optional, but are encouraged for any attendees who choose to wear one. We respect our guests choices on this matter.

    • If you are not feeling well, please consider wearing a mask or joining us at the next event.

  • When you arrive, look for “Design Gym Studio #101” on the directory and we will buzz you in to enter.

VISITNG US

Our community design studio is located in Studio #101 of the Silk Screen Studios Building at 179 West Berks St, Philadelphia, PA 19122. In the Philadelphia neighborhood of Norris Square/Olde Kensington.

“Everything that is not made by nature is designed by someone.”

- Chip Kidd