2025 Mayor’s Design Award Recipient

We’re proud to share that the Beerline Plaza Green Infrastructure Project was honored with a 2025 Mayor’s Design Award, recognizing excellence in community-centered design across Milwaukee.

This project brought together House of RAD, Riverworks, local artists, students, and residents to co-create a space that reflects the heart of Harambee and Riverwest. From custom welded frames and vibrant murals to educational signage and sustainable infrastructure, every element was built with purpose and collaboration.

Receiving this award affirms what we’ve always believed: when you design with and for the community, everyone wins.

BEERLINE PLAZA

A Green Infrastructure Project for Community Connection

Mission & Community Impact

At the heart of the Beerline Plaza project is a vision: to transform an urban public space into a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive hub for connection, creativity, and education. Located in the historic Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods, the Beerline Plaza and Performance Venue is more than just a development—it’s a commitment to environmental stewardship and community empowerment.

We believe that a healthier city starts with equitable access to green spaces and the knowledge to sustain them. That’s why we’re leading with green infrastructure, combining environmental education with intentional design to foster unity, learning, and celebration in the community.

The Outcome

A Living Space for Growth, Expression, and Sustainability

Once complete, Beerline Plaza will serve as an inspiring model for what green infrastructure can look like when rooted in equity, art, and education. This will be a place where families gather, artists perform, students learn, and pollinators thrive.

It’s more than a plaza—it’s a living classroom, an open-air gallery, and a stage for future generations to connect with their environment and each other.

The Process

Built with Intention: Collaboration, Education, and Cultural Expression

As part of Riverworks’ Beerline Trail renovation, House of RAD artists—Brandon Minga, Jackson LaHaie, Danny Grimes, and Stephen Anderson—were commissioned to collaborate on the design and creation of a large-scale mural and visual elements that center sustainability and cultural identity. We worked alongside students from Milwaukee Public Schools and UWM SARUP, making this a true intergenerational effort that blended art, architecture, and education.

La Escuela Fratney, created bilingual educational signage to highlight and explain the site’s green infrastructure to the entire community. From start to finish, this was a community-driven project, and we’re proud to have helped bring it to life through intentional design, creative collaboration, and a shared love for this city.

info@houseofradmke.com

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