How can we reimagine the USPS mission of connecting people to evolve with an aging real estate paradigm?

We explored a methodology to adapt and transform existing U.S. Postal Service (USPS) real estate through the lens of community-focused design. In conceptualizing the future of the post office, we first historically analyzed the intent and services that the post office has provided to its communities since its inception. Through the use of the National Registry of Historic Places, we were able to select three sites for case study analyses to help us explore ways in which the USPS could optimize community impact and evolve its programmatic elements.

The three communities we studied featured differing socioeconomic contexts. Through the creation of a Power BI tool comparing USPS real estate assets and U.S. Census data, we were able to identify specific problems affecting each respective community. We highlighted their high school graduation rates, age of population, economic inequalities, and environmental concerns to propose a variety of opportunities for adaptive reuse of excess USPS real estate. Based on our dialogue with the SPS, we held various charettes brainstorming a multitude of ways the USPS could adapt its architecture to meet each community's future needs.

With much speculation about the continued need and intended use of traditional USPS services, it was important for us to highlight the challenges and opportunities for how this critical service could continue to thrive and flourish under ever-evolving societal conditions. By decoupling and dissecting the post office into its essential spatial anatomy, we were able to propose various community-focused adaptive reuse solutions for the future of these postal space types.