Every other year, University of Houston architecture professor Susan Rogers and UH’s Community Design Resource Center connect community stakeholders with professionals and experts to brainstorm new visions for the city’s neighborhoods. The discussions take place as part of the biennial Collaborative Community Design Initiative (CCDI). Through this project, Rogers and colleagues delve further into the city and develop possible solutions for its communities.

This year’s CCDI is a partnership with the Community Transformation Initiative, a program of the Department and Health and Human Services that seeks to support healthy and sustainable communities.  The neighborhood partners are the Greater Fifth Ward, Denver Harbor, Magnolia Park and Sunnyside.  

From 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., June 15, community members will meet with health experts, planners, leaders, community designers and Rogers’ team to strategize how to create healthy communities. This community summit will mark the third Biennial Community Design Charrette. It will be conducted on the third floor of UH’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture (Entrance 18 off of Elgin Blvd.). This meeting is open to the public.

“This charrette is aimed at developing design strategies that have the potential to create healthy and thriving neighborhoods,” Rogers said. “Through collaboration between public and private interests, professionals, students, citizens and decision makers, innovative design practices and processes can emerge that create greater opportunity for everyone.”

CCDI was started in 2009. Its previous projects and books include  “Corridors” (focused on the Greater Third Ward, Harrisburg/Manchester, Independence Heights and Greater Heights) and “Islands” (focused on Alief, Golfcrest/Bellfort/Reveille, Greenspoint and Mid-West). Every other year, CCDI focuses on four new Houston neighborhoods. Findings are shared through a CCDI book that illustrates challenges facing Houston neighborhoods and enhancements that can benefit residents. For more details on CCDI or the Community Design Resource Center, visit this website.

The Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a variety of disciplines including architecture, space architecture, interior architecture and industrial design. Faculty members include esteemed professionals in the architectural community, as well as award-winning academic veterans. Facilities include studio spaces, the new Materials Research Collaborative, computer labs and the Burdette Keeland Jr. Design Exploration Center. To learn more about the college, visit http://www.arch.uh.edu/.