Tiny WPA

Why yes, with a little love, drop ceilings can be spatial, beautiful, and maybe even happy-making. Kamaiyah did a time-lapse thing showing some of the install of the fixtures we created for and with @isaphila for the @meantimephl pop-up stores on Market Street, showing how vacant commercial space can quickly be turned into assets, incubators, stages, and street activators if we just try. Make sure you head down to Market St. and check out the cool businesses and spaces. . @centercitydistrict @phlcommerce @rarify @almostfamous.us @twopersonscoffee

Yup, we’ve been making drop ceilings look and feel a heck of a lot better since 2026! So thankful that @isaphila asked us to work with them on their @meantimephl pop-up store project on Market Street, helping them develop quick solutions to make the drop ceilings in the various storefronts bring a little joy rather than bunch of blahhhhhh. Yup, drop ceilings can be gorgeous and spatial with a little love, particularly when paired with furniture from @rarify , coffee from @twopersonscoffee and clothes and art from @almostfamous.us . @phlcommerce Photos by @charlieschuck

Happy Earth Day! We spent the day building trees with @slamiddle students! Tree shaped hallway seating, storage and Willy Wonka theater props that is! We’ve been having a blast this winter/spring designing props for Powel Elementary School’s spring musical production of Willy Wonka with middle school students from @slamiddle and with assistance from high school interns from @slacentercity and @slabeeber . As much as possible, the collective team are working to transform what is normally a temporary prop into an amenity that will benefit both Powel and SLAMS students and teachers year round. Stay tuned as we all sprint to design and build everything for the Powel students’ performance on May 29th!

Work with us! Tiny WPA is hiring a Project Manager and a Lead Educator. Please head to the link in our bio for more information. We will also shortly be posting for a full-time Designer with some fabrication experience to work on a wide array of public space projects in 2026, 2027 and beyond. This position will involve working on objects, spaces and interactions and thereby is a good fit for folks with product design, architecture, furniture, and/or landscape architecture backgrounds. Keep an eye out for more info later this week or send a cover letter, your resume, and portfolio to [email protected].

Fairhill-Hartranft, this one’s for you. 🔠 Partnering with @thevillagephilly , we helped bring the Literacy Rich Neighborhood Initiative to life. Consider it a celebration of local culture, connection, and the magic of literacy through play (and giant yellow letters). We started with a larger-than-life interactive alphabet fabricated by @tinywpa , paired with a scavenger hunt book and interactive website that invited everyone to explore the neighborhood in search of the yellow letters. To top it all off, we worked with local artists to help tell the story of each and every letter. #design #branding #brandedenvironment #literacy #fairhillhartranftabcs CD: @jason_rothman , @caracox77 Account: @jessied1384 Design: @ronniealleydesign , @s.cush Fabrication: @tinywpa Photo: @liamntz Artists: mikelartist @scumlizard @isa__akh @irregularsean @nasiryoungart @sideprojects @joyful_soul_designs @mitchwiesen @nomad_face @soulpurl77 @irregularsean @_mcbailey @nahcroll @kwenarts @justine.grape @xbelleandwhistle zezyndel

Do you have something that you’d like to design and build to make a difference in your community? Are you 14-75 years old? Are you able to commit to 8 weeks of classes from 5:30-8:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursday this Spring, March 24-May 28 (you need to be able to attend every session)? If all of your answers are ‘YES!’ then you should apply for the Spring 2026 @beabuildinghero  Training Program. Space is extremely limited as we have 12 slots and we typically get 50-60 applicants so please spend some time on your application and schedule a visit to our workshop (see below). . To apply, follow the link in our bio or head to /beabuildinghero . We HIGHLY recommend scheduling a visit to our workshop at 3145 W. Jefferson St. before the applications close on March 2nd if you have not worked with us on a community project or volunteered with us before. Email [email protected] to schedule a visit. . Timing doesn’t work out for you this Spring? We will offer the Training Program in the Summer and Fall this year. . Who typically applies? Teens, teachers, community organizers/activists, gardeners, artists, programmers, design students, grandmothers, social workers, early childhood specialists, librarians, block captains, small business owners. . #phled #workforcedevelopment #northphilly #phillydesign #philly philadelphia

Why yes, we did fabricate a Bad Bunny casita holiday market stall (along with Kwanza and creche stalls) for @hingecollective and @frankfordcdc ’s holiday market at the Frankford Pause Park. It was a really fun end-of-the-year project for our team to wrap up 2025. It was a great project for our cnc and because the market stall facades were quite big, it required a legit barnraising from fabrication to install, which was a wonderful feeling for ending the year. And what an honor to make these community-driven market stalls and anything that celebrates Bad Bunny. . Thanks for the opportunity to work on the project @frankfordcdc and @hingecollective !

Valentine’s Day is often associated with flowers, romantic gestures, and dinner reservations, but this year, we’re inviting you to celebrate LOVE a little differently.

On February 12th, Tiny WPA is hosting our first-ever benefit—in celebration of our 10th Anniversary—and we’d love for you to join us. Think of it as a love letter—to community-led design, to public spaces that bring people together, and to the belief that small, thoughtful projects can make a big difference. Bring a date, a best friend, a neighbor, a longtime collaborator, or come solo and meet some lovely new friends! However you show up, your ticket helps support Tiny WPA’s mission to create inclusive, people-powered public improvements throughout Philadelphia. There will be fantastic desserts from @Honeysuckle , beautiful handmade auction items, awesome new Tiny WPA swag, a DJ, an open bar, and most importantly a wonderful community who has shown tremendous love for Philly and people-driven design over the past 10 years. What’s not to love about that? PURCHASE TICKETS! Head to the link in our bio! DATE: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12
TIME: 6-9PM
LOCATION: TINY WPA’S WORKSHOP
3145 W. JEFFERSON ST. C7 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19121 Huge thanks to our 10th Anniversary Celebration sponsors- Poor Richard’s Charitable Trust @amuneal @margaret_sullivan_studio @childrensphila @yptc @honeysuckle Parkway Commercial Properties @stradaplaces @digsau_architecture @bingaman.lumber @rabbit_recycling @frankfordshade

🎉 Tiny WPA turns 10! 🎉 Our 10th Anniversary Benefit on Thursday, February 12 is more than a celebration, it’s a chance to directly support the people, projects, and playful public spaces shaping Philadelphia. 🛠️ IN-PERSON SILENT AUCTION We’re showcasing one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by 10 years of building, teaching, and imagining together. Every bid fuels our work, supports @beabuildinghero , and brings joyful spaces to life across the city. ✨ Auction highlights include: 1 - Smith Memorial Playground Story Blocks 2 - A Building Hero–crafted coat tree 3 - The Yard table + benches for gathering 4 - Our classic jump-tested Building Hero bench 5 - A Yowie Hotel coffee table 6+7 - A Mini Seesaw + Balance Beam Set 8 - A Building Hero pine stool 9 - A glowing coroplast lamp 10 - And a cornhole set ready for play! Each piece is playful, practical, and deeply tied to our mission. When you bid, you’re not just taking home something beautiful, you’re investing in training, creativity, and community. 🎟️ Get your ticket, celebrate 10 years with us, and help build the next decade of Tiny WPA. (link in bio) 📍 Silent auction is in-person only 🏆 Winners announced at the benefit 🚚 Local pickup or delivery within 5 miles (no shipping) 🩵 Can’t attend? Donate to support Building Heroes (link in bio)!

Happy New Year! 2026 is a milestone year for Tiny WPA–it’s our 10th anniversary, ya’ll! We’re kicking things off with our FIRST-EVER Benefit on Thursday, February 12th. Join us for an evening of music, food and drinks, and a silent auction as we celebrate a decade of community-led design. See the link in our bio to purchase your tickets today! Please spread the word.

A closer look at the finishing touches at Johnny Sample Recreation Center! This video highlights the installation of custom, reclaimed-wood furniture by @tinywpa , thoughtfully designed and built to support how neighbors gather, learn, and connect. The benches, crafted from the recreation center's original roof rafters, bring warmth, durability, and purpose to the newly renovated space. This is a powerful example of our commitment to bridging past and future—honoring the history of the building while creating spaces that meet modern community needs. As Johnny Sample Rec prepares to reopen in the New Year, details like these reflect what #RebuildPHL is about: investing in people, local makers, and public spaces built to serve communities for generations to come. 🙌 #JohnnySampleRec #SaferCleanerGreener #TheGroundwork

Yup, we designed the boat as a balance beam and it’s glorious even without the sandbox sand for the digging area inside the boat, the ship’s wheel and the bell. Three cheers for imaginative play. . @bartramsgarden . Thank you @bingaman.lumber for donating thermally modified wood for the boat railing, lily pads and waves! . @williampennfoundation