SERVE Spotlight: Julie Gilliland

What brought you to Asheville? Tell us a bit about yourself, and what you are passionate about.

 Jason and I are from Indiana and met at Ball State University, where we both attended the College of Architecture and Planning. After college, we moved to Boulder, Colorado to start careers.  After 6 years there, we were ready to start a family and be closer to extended family.  We wanted to continue to live a mountain lifestyle that we fell in love with out west.  Asheville happened to be the place of choice.  Our family loves the outdoors, hiking, camping, and kayaking.

Where do you serve? What is the organization’s mission? How’d you get involved?

I became involved with the Asheville Design Center (ADC) in 2008 and eventually became the Chair of the organization.  As Chair, I initiated a Design Build Play program in the fall of 2011. The focus of the program was to provide a safe play environment for communities in need. In 2012, Site Design Studio (my company) worked closely with the Klondyke community and residents to provide input on the design.  In 2013, SDS continued our commitment to the Asheville Design Center by working with the Pisgah View Community.  Community members were chosen and paid for their efforts for both projects to help construct the playground.   SDS collaborated with local playground providers who volunteered and contributed equipment to the effort.

Asheville Design Center is an independent, nonprofit agency founded in 2006 on the belief that everyone deserves good design. Planning builds community, and design shapes our lives every day—yet few of us have easy access to an architect, engineer, landscape architect or planner. ADC recruits volunteer professionals to work with communities to develop design solutions that enhance our quality of life. ADC engages Western North Carolina in creative community-based design to promote healthy, thriving and equitable communities. ADC only works in communities where we have been invited. ADC brings a multi-disciplinary team of volunteer designers to every project. ADC uses a community-driven design process–our volunteers use your ideas to create better design solutions.

Why do you serve there? What do you get out of it?

 I became involved with the Asheville Design Center because I truly believe that everyone deserves a healthy and high-quality lifestyle.  When it comes to kids, each and every child deserves a safe environment to live and play. One way to provide those lifestyle qualities is through playgrounds.  The satisfaction I receive from the Design Build Play program are smiles and big hugs from kids who are happily playing on their new community playgrounds.

If someone is interested in this type of service, what can they do to find out more or get involved?

Anyone interested in volunteering and/or helping Asheville Design Center’s mission to provide communities with quality design can contact the Executive Director Chris Joyell at 828.782.7894 or chris@ashevilledesigncenter.org.  You do not have to have design experience to be involved with the Asheville Design Center.