public and private sectors must approach community planning collaboratively
Our Approach
The Civic Design Center has 20 years of experience executing community projects in Middle Tennessee, as well as participating in projects globally. Our origin and our guiding force began with a large scale community input project across Nashville. This set the stage for how we help places realize their greatest potential: through collaboration.
We enter partnerships or begin our own projects within one of the following phases, sometimes expanding into longer term projects across phases. This results in a diverse set of projects in varying levels of completion. Follow along below to see how each phase differs and where you and your organization fit into the puzzle.
“In the long history of the human race, the idea of the city has continually existed as an unfulfilled possibility. Just as no designer has solved the ‘problem’ of the chair, no civilization has solved the ‘problem’ of the city. All actual cities are latent with potential and continue to evolve.”
IdeationWe inspire design firms, municipalities or neighborhood groups to take on projects we have dreamed about. Ideation projects can also be spurred by a new development under consideration.
FeasibilityWe expand upon big ideas and evaluate the possibilities for real development scenarios. This process analyzes publicly available data to determine feasibility of planning and design projects.
EngagementWe work with public, private, and nonprofit sectors to help engage community members at all times—before, during and after design and planning projects.
EnvisionWhen envisioning, we meet with a community group, discuss potential uses of the space with case studies that demonstrate similar characteristics, and come back with designs to help provide examples of how the space would transform.
InstallationThrough TURBO and PARK(ing) Day, we take ideas from community members, organizations, and neighborhood groups to see if there is something we can do to elevate the human experience through design.
EducationWe are able to bring together leaders across sectors that can speak to local and global innovations. This work comes alive through educational events and publications.
Interested in Partnering with our Design Center?