COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURE

COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURECommunity Design Charrette- taken from the Ecole Des Beaux Arts en charrette or on the cart

Charrette based on modern day definition- refers to intensive design workshop involving people working together under compressed deadline.

Held in a two to three day period Architects and other design professionals together with community leaders , public officials, and citizens worked together to envision alternatives for local building programs, neighbourhood or regional community project, with an emphasis upon long term economic, social and environmental sustainability .

Process Brainstorming- letting ideas flow in an open way-each building upon the suggestions of all participantsFuture search process-creating timelines and issues maps and diagrams- all of which is to help individuals, groups and communities to visualize design alternatives and to discuss and evaluate best choices.-involves many months of planning to convene a diverse set of community members and members, public leaders and experts

Preparation of charrette1. Identify a significant project-problem at building scale, neighborhood . Data maps, documentations assembled ahead of time

Contact an experienced facilitator in order to add input and guidance. In the absence of the facilitator, an architect or people with similar professions will be needed to add input.Involve cosponsors who are stakeholders in the resultsGet stakeholders involved early onDont leave anyone out3. Establish preevent meetings that keep planning going forwardDevelop a set of goals by consensus discussion. Set assignments:Program: program definition and support materialsFunding: funding /contribution in any kindcommunications: getting the word out and press inLogistics: particulars of space and support materials

Define the charrette program Organize generalized and integrated design teams of 5 to six people on each team who work together to develop a design, while expertsroam between teams consulting with each team throughout the charrette.Alternate is to organize specialiazed expert teams in which the number per team can be 6 or more who9 work together to develop a set of recommendations related to a particular specialized topic, that is lighting, building envelop, etc.5. Charrette introductory organizational meeting Briefing of local officials and others who want to be briefed. Provide technical briefing, tour of site.6. Putting funding strategy in place7. Establish a news and communication planLocal newspaper column, internet website8. LogisticsWorkshop Meeting places, ample wall spaces, materials for display , audio visual equipment9. Materials and resources10. Charrette events schedule

Community Design CentersProvide planning, design and technical assistance to low- and moderate income urban and rural communities, many of which have limited resources.

Design process facilitates social justice. It facilitates widerrange of community concerns and fosters multidisciplinary approach. Design solutions are therefore more contextual , appropriate resulting in better use of resources. Process-oriented design translates human needs to achievable plans compared to traditional design which is product oriented and devouted to institutional or corporate goals.

The resultingplans, being flexible and open-ended rather than fixed, anticipate and aidthe incremental development that usually follows.

Technical assistance by CDCs

Helping- technical assistance helps in resolving the need or crisis but the person or the organiztion being helped may not be in the position to avoid the same crisis in the future

Enabling-the person or organiztion is encouraged to help themselves by being providie with rudimentary tools, knowledge and sometimes money to resolve immediate set of problems

Empowerment- the person or organiztion is provided with the knowledge to understand why they are in the situation that is contributing to local disinvestment. This type of technical assistance helps build local research, analytical and development skills moving the community toward organizing and taking responsibility for themselves and their neighborhood and toward developing their abiity to change their condition.