WE ARE
COMMON PLACE PROJECTS
WE TRANSFORM COMMON SPACES INTO IMPACTFUL PLACES THAT FOSTER COMMUNITY
AND CONNECTION
WHAT WE DO
Common Place Projects activates the shared spaces and common places where we all gather in work, leisure, and life with playful, meaningful, and community-focused projects. WE SPECIALIZE IN BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER through engaging temporary and permanent placemaking, interactive shared experiences, and imaginative programming.
WE VALUE THE POWER OF PLAY, THE POWER OF PLACE, THE POWER OF CONNECTION, AND THE POWER OF COMMUNITY. These principles are core to our company philosophy —they enlighten our creative approach and guide our design process.
OUR WORK IS AS MUCH FELT AS IT IS SEEN —celebrating the importance of play, sparking belonging, rewarding curiosity, and creating lasting memories. We make moments of connection and happiness easier to find and provide people with physical, tactile experiences in an increasingly digital world.
WE BELIEVE THAT ANY PROJECT HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE AND PLACES BY BUILDING CONNECTIONS AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES —communities of neighbors, coworkers, businesses, or customers; communities of three, 300, or 3,000. And, when people feel connected, they act with empathy, kindness, and enthusiasm, and communities can thrive.
We work with business organizations, community groups, private enterprises, local governments, educational institutions —anyone who wants to REIMAGINE THE WAY WE FIND CONNECTION AND CELEBRATE OUR COLLECTIVE DIVERSITY.
We work in spaces and places that are underutilized, overlooked, or are in need of revitalization. And, with an artful approach to design, WE USE PARKS, PLAZAS, STREETS, SIDEWALKS, STOREFRONTS, WORK SPACES, WINDOWS, WALLS, HALLWAYS, ATRIUMS, AND OTHER GATHERING PLACES AS OUR CANVAS to create fun, dynamic, and energizing communal environments.
OUR MISSION
To activate and transform shared spaces, common places, and the varied communities that make up our lives through playful activations and engaging programming!
To spark pride in a community by revitalizing places and spaces that bring people together to create lasting connections and memories!
To use an inclusive and holistic approach which supports all community stakeholders!
To elevate the everyday by finding joy in the small moments and bringing beauty to overlooked spaces and places!
To use placemaking to invest in the community and bring us together!
WHO WE ARE
MICHELLE KLIMAN
Founder | Creative Director
Michelle’s core focus is on creating experiences and environments that connect people, foster community, and inspire a more hands-on experience of the physical world. She has combined her passions for form, surface, and space to build a strong, well-rounded design approach which allows her to deftly work across disciplines. Combining her love of materials and color and her passion for making, Michelle creates projects that infuse our lives with fun, meaning, and belonging.
Prior to founding Common Place Projects, Michelle worked in New York and Chicago as a spatial designer, event and exhibition designer, and product and surface designer. She currently teaches at the Art Institute of Chicago and brings over 15 years of experience and expertise to every project she takes on.
MICHAEL J. GREENE
Managing Director
