IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A

Abstract

The Community Design Workshop (CDW) is an Institute within the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Serving as its Director for over 25 years, the CDW has been involved with community architecture and planning urban design projects and with small town revival projects. The paper will show the processes developed and implemented, collaboration with multiple organizations and citizens, inclusion of outside expertise and securing funds to see multiple projects to completion. American 20th and 21st century development centered on expansion of suburban housing and saw the emergence of the “American Strip” causing small towns to suffer from underdevelopment. The CDW has worked on urban designs for multiple small towns across Louisiana and assisted with restoration projects following hurricane devastation. Functioning as a community outreach institute, the CDW provides graduate architecture students an opportunity to gain practical experience with real world design problems. The paper outlines the process of procuring stakeholders by engaging the town’s citizens, business community and leadership. Working together in charrettes and public meetings, the CDW then produced urban design proposals. The CDW utilized expertise from regional architects and planners and engaged with community, state, and other organizations to secure funding. Each project provided an “on location” design studio. Referred to as “squatting”, being immersed in the study area offers community access which contributes to the design process. The paper’s focus on small-town American projects stresses the importance of public engagement in a design process and how student learning benefits both the student and the public.