Movers and Shapers

Patrycja Doniewski, Qb³
340 North 12th Street, suite 304, 215-829-1820, qb3design.com

It’s almost as if Doniewski’s small, edgy design firm (pictured below, and pronounced “cube”) was custom-made for DesignPhiladelphia. The three principals — Doniewski, Kevin Angstadt and Stephen Mileto — are all architects; Doniewski worked as a graphic designer for several years, and the other two worked as cabinetmakers, carpenters and iron workers. Their practice melds their different disciplines, with both practical and lofty results. At last year’s festival, Qb3 hosted an Open Studio that brought some 100 visitors through the firm’s Center City workshop. “There are all these firms and organizations here doing great work almost invisibly,” says Doniewski. “DesignPhiladelphia will hopefully bring us to the level of the big names — New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles.”

Best known for: Modern loft and residential designs, including a celebrated historic renovation of 4200 Pine Street.

What she’s doing this year: Curating “Spot,” a multi-discipline reinterpretation of that most precious of urban locales: the parking spot. For one day, designers, architects and artists will take over 10 metered spaces on Broad Street between Sansom and Locust, for separate installations exploring the relationship between sidewalk and street in the urban landscape. October 17th, 6 to 8 p.m. Broad Street between Chestnut and South.