Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Universities can be defined by their role in the promulgation of knowledge through research, teaching and service. In the latter case, many public Universities have a responsibility to be relevant forces of constructive physical change and catalysts for positive physical change through neighborhood empowerment. Community Design Solutions, established by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning in 1992, was specifically created to establish a town-gown partnership between the University, city government, and neighborhood communities throughout South Eastern Wisconsin. Since its inception, it has completed as many as twenty-five projects a year, working collaboratively with City departments and community groups and initiating participatory design charrettes focused on specific neighborhoods. The charrettes engage local architects, city officials, neighborhood leaders, faculty, and students who create collective visions for future development and kickstart new projects through community empowerment. This presentation provides a case study for the role of the University in the community and suggests a blueprint for structuring optimum effectiveness in harnessing positive physical change through participatory design.