Resources
Pomegranate Center’s work lies at the heart of a larger movement:
- To re-imagine and transform communities so that they are anchored in their natural settings and produce local identity and culture
- To create cities with well-defined and vital public spaces and in a way that protects our air, waters, soil, plants and animal
- To re-envision cities as collections of urban villages
We contribute to this movement with various publications and resources explaining our methods and approach to community-driven design, planning, and the creation of gathering places.
Selected Publications by and about Pomegranate Center
Multiple Victories: Pomegranate Center’s Art of Creating Community-Crafted Gathering Places by Milenko Matanovic. This just-released Pomegranate Center Press book contains lessons learned from 20 years of work on public gathering places. It’s a must read for building healthy, vibrant communities. Order now at the introductory price, and save $5.00 off the list price.
Green Roof Manual: How to Replace Your Dead Roof with a Living Landscape. A guide covering the costs and benefits of green roof construction—the wave of the future in sustainable design—with lists of resources and materials available to homeowners in the Pacific Northwest.
“Turning the Sword“, YES Magazine, Summer 2002. Article by Milenko Matanovic exploring how artistic methods can create a more humane, sustainable, and beautiful world.
“Miracle Milenko“, Grist Magazine, August 2005. Interview with Milenko Matanovic, community-builder, artist and Pomegranate founder in the playful environmental news and commentary magazine.
“Local Heros“, Home Magazine, December 2005. Profile of Home Magazine 2005 Shelter Award winner, Milenko Matanovic for his caring and imaginative works to bolster the social well-being of neighborhoods nationwide.
“Details Make the Difference: Pomegranate Center Listens to Residents to Create Gathering Places with Local Flavor“, The Christian Science Monitor, Wednesday, November 28, 2001
“2006 Pomegranate Center Annual Report“, 2006
We also see ourselves allied with many organizations, groups and individuals working on different facets of this larger work variously known as the Sustainable Communities, Place-Making or New Commons Movements.
Related Organizations
Following is a sample of organizations with goals related to those of Pomegranate Center.
Architreasures - Architreasures raises community involvement in the urban landscape. By partnering with architects, artists, educators, and urban activists with community groups, students, and neighborhood organizations, Architreasures facilitates creative solutions using a participatory design process.
City Repair - City Repair is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization helping people reclaim their urban space to create community-oriented places.
Ilan Lael Foundation - The Ilan Lael Foundation seeks to integrate the arts, nature and beauty into the life of individuals and communities. Ilan Lael founder, James Hubbell, collaborated with Pomegranate Center founder and Executive Director, Milenko Matanovic, on international “Soil and Soul” projects, through which they pioneered a participatory design-build process.
Project for Public Spaces - Project for Public Spaces is dedicated to creating and sustaining public spaces that build communities.