Vancouver Area Relocalisation Network

March 25th 2008 Patrick Condon Building Sustainable Communities

With many cities looking to “go green,” design charrettes are giving citizens the opportunity to engage directly with urban planners and designers in achieving sustainable, livable communities.

Patrick Condon explains the charrette, an inclusive decision-making process that brings together citizens, designers, public officials, and developers in collaborative workshops. Condon illustrates a model for a charrette, detailing how available resources can best be implemented to meet the needs and interests of the community. “This book is about how we as professionals, officials, citizens, and stakeholders can re-knit the pieces of this city together for our children; about how we can use a proven process for getting all of the people presently responsible for building cities to collectively change the rules of the game,” writes Condon. In Damascus, Oregon key strategies emerged in a charrette workshop that were incorporated into the final plan for the city, including transit and pedestrian friendly roads, housing equity, and the integration of industrial lands into the community. Design Charrettes for Sustainable Communities gives planners, city officials and urban designers the know-how to lead an integrated design process.

Patrick Condon is a professor at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and holder of the UBC James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Livable Environments. Since 1994, he has organized and participated in over a score of design charrettes for sustainable communities.

We have a special guest coming on the 25th as well: Ethical Bean Coffee will be offering free cofee, just remember to bring your cup!

Also, as usual we will be selling copies of the speaker's book, if you would like to pre-order a copy, please email us stating your interest and we'll confirm payment details with you.

Alice MacKay Room from 7:30 to 9:30 PM of the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library (350 West Georgia). Admission is Free.