Design Assistance Application

Download our Direct Design Assistance brochure (168KB).

We decide on projects each month. If you are interested in working with us, please send a short email to the address below telling us about:

  1. The problem you have.
  2. Work to date on the issue.
  3. Your organization and others involved.
  4. How your project fits with the principles below.
  5. How you think we can help.

We will try to help you or direct you to others who can help.

The following principles will guide our selection of projects:

  1. The Design Center works with cities, citizen groups, and non-profit organizations. We do not provide assistance to individuals.
  2. The Design Center works with communities to develop urban design and development goals, policies, guidelines, concepts, and principles. As a university-based center our work is not meant to replace consultant services—we do not produce construction documents, for example—but rather we help groups see how design can make a difference in solving important problems.
  3. In selecting projects, we consider community need, public benefits, political and community support, potential for implementation, project timing, and the fit with both the Design Center's research mission and other projects.
  4. While some of our work is pro-bono, our resources are limited and we often ask for matching funds.
  5. Given our other work and the university calendar, it generally takes at least one to two months before we can slot a project into our timetable, but it may take longer, even if funding is in place.
  6. As a university research center, there are several specific activities that are not appropriate as projects.
  • We do not take on work as expert witnesses in local development hearings.
  • We do not do projects for informal groups of property owners whose main purpose is opposing particular development projects. This is valuable work, but not appropriate for a university research center.

Recent Direct Design Assistance Projects

To learn more about working with the Design Center please contact:
612-625-9000
mdc@umn.edu

 





1 Ralph Rapson Hall, 89 Church Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455,
Email mdc@umn.edu, Tel. (612) 625-9000, Fax. (612) 626-0600
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer
Copyright Metropolitan Design Center, 2007. All rights reserved.