The 鈥疌ommunity鈥疍esign鈥疻orkshop,听(formerly named the "CU-City of 麻豆影院 Design Workshop"),听is an on-going听program听that facilitates development of听long-term community听partnerships听with cities and neighborhoods in Colorado听and helps听organize听and direct听multiple classes,听studios and听internships鈥痑round听local听priorities听for neighborhood and commercial district revitalization.听The overall goal of the听Community Design Workshop听is to听bring new resources听and expertise, integrating鈥痙esign, public arts, community听engagement听and planning听into neighborhood听and commercial district听development processes in Colorado.鈥�
This project听responds听to听the urgent听economic consequences of COVID-19听and other听stresses听that听have intensified the need for regeneration of neighborhoods听and small commercial听centers听in the Colorado Front Range.听In addition,听it responds to the needs for more inclusive development approaches as听Colorado听Front Range听communities听face听gentrification,听high听housing costs,听displacement and听increasingly sharp social听conflicts.听
The听Community Design Workshop听is motivated by four goals: help stabilize and energize neighborhood centers and commercial areas; address social divisions and conflicts among those who live in or use neighborhoods and downtowns; broaden use and facilitate activity in shared and public areas;鈥痑nd鈥痗reate鈥痬eanings that鈥痵trengthen鈥痭eighborhood鈥痗ultural and economic life.听In addition, this project听has a pedagogical purpose, inspired by models of听similar听university programs across the country, but听unique in its focus on听partnerships and听integration of public art听and听design, community engagement and听neighborhood planning.听Our work focuses on creating鈥痑 voice for populations鈥揷hildren and youth, immigrant communities, creatives鈥痑nd artists, and鈥痵mall and early-stage businesses鈥搕hat鈥痬ay not鈥痶ypically鈥痯articipate in public discussion about art, planning and design.听听
The design process is tightly integrated with community assessment,听and hearing from听diverse听voices is an integral part of this assessment.听Quality听of听design听concepts are听measured听against听opinions expressed听at听community听events (such as,听鈥榯his structure will be too hot in the summer鈥�).听Inputs collected during the project听will be听used to modify designs and correct course as needed.听Benefits听of the completed projects听will be evaluated听through听assessments of patterns of use, including measures of rate and time of use, and听structured听interviews with users to elicit听indicators of听satisfaction. Finally, we will assess听value and听viability of the听overall听program.听Quality of community engagement is measured by rate, intensity and duration of participation in events.听Demand听for the program is听measured by the number of听community听proposals听to participate, availability of financing and match for new projects, and听commitments to participate听by CU faculty听and students.听听
Six Community Design Workshop initiatives have been organized through the听MetroLab听partnership between the university and the cities of 麻豆影院, and the cities of Longmont, Lyons and Denver, and 麻豆影院 County.听The primary partners for the听Community Design Workshop听vary from project-to-project.听
Cities, local governments,听creative districts, arts organizations, neighborhood nonprofits and economic development organizations interested in听joining the Community Design Workshop can contact Brian Muller for more information.听
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