The National Charrette Institute (NCI) – a non-profit organization that will train professionals in the Charrette process and facilitate affordable Charrettes for qualifying communities – has been launched. Founders Bill Lennertz and Steve Coyle, and NCI Board members; Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Victor Dover, Laurie Volk, Judy Corbett, and Bill Southworth, represent some of the most skilled and experienced practitioners of New Urbanism, the Charrette, and other facilitative processes.




Lennertz and Coyle launched the non-profit corporation in order to create the first professional education venue for the Charrette and the Dynamic Planning Process, though the seeds of NCI were sown during their town planning work at Lennertz Coyle & Associates.




NCI has developed three Charrette trainings for architects, urban designers, land and transportation planners, and public involvement facilitators. NCI's first event, a course on "How to Design a Successful Charrette," will be held in downtown San Francisco on March 28-29, 2002. Subsequent programs will be held this spring in Orlando, Atlanta, and Austin, with additional cities and dates to be determined.




The Charrette is a high-leverage event within the Dynamic Planning process. For the uninitiated, a Charrette is a rigorous and inclusive planning process by a cross-functional design team over a brief but sustained time period. An authentic Charrette forges strong partnerships between public and private entities, and fosters positive civic spirit and action. The Charrette courses will provide a rigor and methodology to an evolving process. NCI will share the most effective methods of getting public support for the most challenging planning issues facing New Urbanist and Smart Growth advocates.




Those interested in either attending or participating in an NCI course should call, fax or write NCI Operations Director, Aarin Lutzenhizer at:




The National Charrette Institute, 321 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 800, Portland, OR 97204 Phone (503) 228-9240, fax 228-2010, email [email protected]

Related Link: National Charrette Institute Home Page

For more information contact:

Aarin Lutzenhizer
National Charrette Institute
321 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 800
Portland
OR 97204
USA

Phone: (503) 228-9240
Fax: (503) 228-2010
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.charretteinstitute.org/