Community-Based Design Charettes

The charette process can be applied in any business situation where there are many different stakeholders

By by Shannon Kraus, a vice president / senior health-care designer and planner with HKS Inc.

As professionals, architects must focus on shaping communities rather than just building to leverage their skills for the greater good.

The building industry has the opportunity and responsibility to play a key role in discussions about the issues that face the communities where we live, work and play.

Individual neighborhood groups or project teams have long used charettes as a vehicle to solve complex problems. However, leveraging key stakeholders in a way that focuses on the community - not private interests or profitability - is a practice that's making a difference.

In 2007, the HKS Design Fellowship took the community-based charette premise to task, focusing on the controversial Trinity River Project. The project, which is now primed for development with the successful November 2007 election and passage of Congressional funding, has been the center of many discussions for more than 100 years.

HKS brought together some of its most talented designers from around the globe as they donated their time to provide thoughtful design options for the development of strategic sites adjacent to the proposed Trinity River Park. In its present state, the Trinity River is not accessible to the public and serves as the city's singular defense against devastating flooding. Architects were asked to envision the development of key sites that will promote access to the park.

The idea wasn't to win HKS a master planning or design project, it was to spur thought and discussion. And, it did. The collection of work was presented to a panel of jurors that included Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, councilwoman Angela Hunt (District 14), and Council District 3 representative David Neumann in addition to city and media representatives in a design charette session.

A charette is defined as an intense effort to complete an academic architectural problem within a specified time. The Design Fellowship charette was allotted a three-day timeframe. Three sites adjacent to the Trinity River Project  were selected for potential redevelopment including Reunion Arena, Continental Avenue and the Oak Cliff Gateway.

The group reviewed key challenges/opportunities such as: How can development be maximized to take advantage of views? How can each development use density and verticality to preserve open space and green areas? How can access to the Trinity River park amenities be accomplished when alterations to the existing levees is prohibited? How can each development include alternatives that reduce and/or minimize the need for automobile access and parking? What kind of development can catalyze neighboring areas positively? 

The team members did due diligence on their respective locales obtaining site and demographic information. After a site visit, the teams wallpapered a large conference room with all of the information. Then, they rolled up their sleeves, grabbed markers and began brainstorming and sketching. Following the three-day charette session, the ideas were presented to the jury for review and discussion.

The jurors and community leaders were as excited about the charette outcomes as the participants. The session provided a forum for discussion, allowing community members to look at the issues without being constrained by their own experiences. The charette opened minds to new ways of thinking and showcased the power of design in transforming communities.

Council District 3 representative David Neumann represents south Dallas while Angela Hunt is focused on the downtown area. They found that they had a lot of common ground. Instead of focusing on their respective districts, they talked about what was best for the city and the region as a whole.

Today people rely on e-mail for communication. The charette sessions allow people to work face-to-face. People get to know and build relationships with each other. Even if the big idea doesn't come out of the event, it might come out of the increased communication that happens following the event.