- Metropolitan development: Starting with existing work on planned communities and suburban redevelopment, this initiative is exploring the intersections of the public and private sectors in urban design across the metropolitan landscape. This initiative has published a book, Reforming Suburbia (University of California Press, 2005) and articles in magazines such as Planning and Landscape Architecture, academic journal articles, and a number of reports. This initiative continues the traditional niche of the Design Center in examining urban design practice and issues across the metropolitan area.
- Metropolitan green space: This initiative, which has received funding from local foundations and the Forest Service, has produced a book, Designing Small Parks (Wiley 2005) and articles in Planning and Landscape Architecture. Much of the work involves collaborations with nonprofits such as the Tree Trust and the Trust for Public Land. This initiative considers both social and ecological values and concerns basing practice on strong evidence from research. In a national and international context this is an unusual emphasis.
- Housing: Work on housing is focused on innovative practice. The CDES Affordable Housing Initiative involves work with the Center for Sustainable Building Research, Department of Architecture and others on campus, the Greater Frogtown Community Development Corporation, and the Wilder Foundation. The Design Center also does work on the Corridor Housing Initiative with nonprofit Center for Neighborhoods (initiative coordinator), Center for Policy Planning and Performance, Central Community Housing Trust, and Minnesota Environmental initiative. These projects have received national funding from HUD and the Fannie Mae Foundation, and national recognition through awards.
- Active and Healthy Cities: This initiative involves research, educational materials, and technical assistance. It has been sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Design Center is lead or collaborator on over $12 million worth of grants in the area of the built environment and physical activity and is collaborating with researchers in several countries. In this area, the Design Center is unusual in combining strong empirical research with evidence-based technical assistance in urban design. It has developed or collaborated in developing a major set of GIS measurement protocols and the Irvine Minnesota Inventory for measuring urban design. This initiative has led to a number of academic publications as well as more practically-oriented toolkits.
Programs
- Established in 2005, the Certificate in Metropolitan Design, has brought formal urban design training to the university.
- The Direct Design Assistance program, established in 2003, has completed scores of projects. DDA work has won several awards.
- Programs for Faculty Fellows, Student Fellows, Distinguished Visiting Lecturers, Visiting Critics, all established since 2002, provide resources for developing new ideas and programs in urban and metropolitan design.
- Web-based Information including fact sheets, maps, posters, PowerPoints, and a large Image Bank make thousands of resources accessible to the public.
Recognition
- Since 2003, work has been recognized through awards and commendations.
- The Design Center has produced significant external publications.
- Since 2002, the Design Center has been featured or quoted in the Washington Post, Psychology Today, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, numerous suburban papers, and other radio and television programs.
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