Greenfield sites around towns and cities, and redevelopment infill sites in existing urban areas often become battlegrounds between the conflicting interests of developers and communities.
In America, design charrettes (intensive design and planning workshops) have become widely used as a means of bringing together these divergent groups, using detailed design exercises to establish agreement around a development masterplan. Despite the increasing frequency of their use, charrettes are widely misunderstood and can be misapplied. This book provides a detailed guidance on the proper and most effective ways to use this helpful tool. The book combines charrette masterplanning with the creation of "design-based" codes (also known as "form-based" codes) to control the development's implementation in line with the design and planning principles established during the charrette process.
2. History i: The history of community involvement in planning from 19th century anarchist roots to today.
3. History ii: The evolution of the planning process: the renaissance of physical planning and the importance of urban design.
4. Theory i: Key urban design principles
5. Theory ii: Codes and Guidelines
6. Theory iii: Representation and Communication
7. Practice i: Charrette Principles and Organization
8. Practice ii: Charrette Processes and Products
9. Case Study i: Downtown redevelopment case study from author’s own practice. This community has a form-based zoning ordinance in place.
10. Case Study ii: Greenfield case study from author’s own practice. This community has a normative, sprawl-inducing zoning ordinance in place.
11. Afterword: Summary and recap
12. Appendix: Example of Form-based Code
Biography
David Walters
"As strong in its theoretical grasp as it is in enumerating the practical aspects of design codes and charrettes, Designing Community guides us through the strategies we need to adopt to create better communal spaces...Design professionals should take the core messages of this book to heart and use its to improve our public realm".
AJ 30.08.07
“Students will find… a rich source of examples, comparisons and opinions. I would go far as to suggest that a précis of this volume ought to be considered to all in the planning process from the local parish councillors up to the government strategists.”
Building Engineer Jan 08
