What began as a temporary student installation for Carnegie Mellon University’s Spring Carnival has found a permanent home in Millvale. Through a partnership between Neighborhood Allies, the Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture, and Abeille Voyante Tea Co., a classroom design project was transformed into a lasting community gathering space.
The collaboration began when CMU architecture faculty approached Neighborhood Allies looking for a community partner whose project could extend beyond the classroom. Neighborhood Allies’ Social Impact Design team connected them with Abeille Voyante Tea Co., where owner Danielle was envisioning an outdoor space for workshops, events, and community gatherings.
Over the course of the Spring 2026 semester, CMU students worked alongside Danielle and Neighborhood Allies’ Social Impact Design team, including Senior Program Manager Tamara Emswiler, a CMU School of Architecture alumna, and Jordan Swartz, to design and build a space that will continue serving the Millvale community long after the semester ended.
Project leads and faculty members Neal and Kristina explained the planning process that brought this collaboration to life:
“Every year, a student-led team works to build a gateway pavilion for Carnegie Mellon’s annual Carnival festival. This year, the student design team—composed of members of the Architectural Crafts Collective—imagined the structure as a collection of outdoor furniture pieces for Abeille Voyante Tea Co. stitched together to create the gateway arch, and in this way, the project was designed with re-use in mind. During its first life on Carnegie Mellon’s campus, the structure was constructed entirely of disassemblable wooden frames connected by orange ‘infill’ panels that function as seats, tables, and planters.
Once disassembled, all of the elements could be packed and shipped flat, making transportation to the tea shop easy. The structure was taken apart in a matter of hours and transported to the site, where it was reassembled with the help of student and community volunteer groups to serve as furniture for a tea garden, including lounge seating, tables, and a traditional open-air tea house.”
-Neal Hitch and Kristina Fisher, Faculty at the Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture
Phase 1: Building the Gateway
The finished gateway on CMU’s campus
Phase 2: Building the Tea Garden
Phase 2: The finished tea garden in Millvale
“This project exemplifies the spirit of the Social Impact Design program and of Neighborhood Allies as a whole,” said Tamara. “As a connector, Neighborhood Allies was able to support this collaboration, which directly benefited a local, small business while also providing an opportunity for CMU students to connect directly with community members. It was a hands-on experience for them that emphasizes the importance of community-led design principles through an Equity-Centered Community Development Lens. We are thrilled to continue making these important connections and supporting more projects like this one! ”
