PAST CHARRETTES
Downtown Douglas Charrette | Douglas GA | Spring 2023
Despite building occupancy in Downtown being around 90% and investors pursuing second-story
loft developments and entertainment venues, Douglas is facing several challenges,
including disinvestment due to absentee ownership and neglect, lack of affordable
housing options, and declining strip mall developments. This charrette focused on
revitalizing the downtown area, enhancing corridors that lead into the city, and showcasing
revitalization potential for appropriate new construction to attract investors.
With a specific intention to identify a handful of big ideas that could be broken down into "small wins" through strategies like tactical urbanism, the charrette team focused on Greenspace & Greenways, Entertainment & Placemaking, Streetscape & Circulation, Preservation & Housing, and the historically African American Carver District.
Final Report | Presentation video
Hartwell Charrette | Hart Co. | Fall 2022
Located in Northeast Georgia, Hart County is rich in natural
and historic resources. Hartwell, the county seat, has a vibrant
historic Downtown that benefits from close proximity to Lake
Hartwell. Hartwell is interested in developing a regional trail system that connects
recreational amenities at Lake Hartwell and Hart County Recreation Centers with Hartwell’s
historic Downtown, neighborhoods, and schools in order to provide multi-modal connectivity,
increase public health, and attract recreational tourism.
At the request of the Archway Partnership, CCDP used a charrette to explore recreational opportunities that connect the assets of Lake Hartwell and Downtown with areas underserved by walking and biking. In-person focus groups and virtual public input helped inform and prioritize design ideas. The final concepts focus on multimodal connections that would allow for longer hiking and biking routes, greater use of public facilities, and revitalization of underserved areas.
Final Report| Midpoint Presentation | Slick Sheet
Hoschton Charrette l Jackson Co. l Fall-Spring 2021
Hoschton, a small town in Jackson County along the I-85 corridor, is experiencing
unprecedented growth as its current population of 3,000 is expected to reach 10,000
within the next five years. Many people are relocating to the area and appreciate
the rural beauty and slower pace, yet expect bigger-city amenities. The influx of
newcomers is contributing to the existing traffic congestion along Highway 53, the
primary north-south corridor.
Using a hybrid approach that blended in-person site visits and stakeholder engagement with broader virtual public feedback, this charrette explored potential solutions to address growth while capitalizing on historic character. The final design concepts encourage land conservation, park enhancements, building rehabilitation, and multi-modal circulation to guide the future of Hoschton.
Final Presentation PDF l Full Report l Slick Sheet
McDuffie County Trails Charrette | McDuffie Co | Spring 2021
McDuffie County stakeholders want to increase recreational opportunities around Clarks
Hill Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River. Development
around the lake is restricted, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leases the majority
of land to the state for a Wildlife Management Area. McDuffie County has recently
taken over management of two former Corps campgrounds and has established Georgia’s
Little River Water Trail, a 20-mile paddling route along the McDuffie and Wilkes County
borders.
The McDuffie County Archway Partnership asked the Center for Community Design and Preservation to augment these efforts by developing concepts and an illustrative master plan that increases recreational opportunities and incorporates best practices between different types of trail users. The charrette generated ideas that accommodate self-shuttling for paddlers on the Little River Water Trail, create a trail system for hikers and bike riders within the Big Hart and Raysville campgrounds, and suggest how equestrian trails may be included within the Clarks Hill Wildlife Management Area.
Final Concepts | Full Report | YouTube presentation |Slick Sheet |Article
Brewpub Charrette | Hawkinsville GA | October 2020
Breweries and brewpubs contribute to downtown revitalization efforts by creating active
social spaces and increasing dining options. They have set an industry standard for
being family-friendly, pet-inclusive, locally-driven, and community-focused. Popular
brewpubs are often connected to nature, such as along a riverfront, and/or within
revitalized historic buildings – both of which Hawkinsville is well-poised to market.
The goals of this charrette were to: 1) Develop concepts for a brewpub that utilizes
empty buildings Downtown; and 2) Explore ways that the Downtown riverfront could be
enhanced.
The charrette focused on four potential brewpub locations: a former gas station by
the downtown boat ramp, a historic riverfront cotton mill, a vacant site Downtown,
and a former laundromat. In addition, the team created conceptual designs for Veterans'
Park along the Ocmulgee River to showcase the link between a vibrant downtown, a natural
resource, and brewpub tourism. Sponsored by the Pulaski County Archway Partnership, and in collaboration with the
RSVP team at the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, who generously provided
public input and included the charrette results in their final report.
YouTube video | Posters | RSVP full report
John de la Howe School Charrette | McCormick SC | October 4-6, 2019
This historic 1300-acre campus is in McCormick, South Carolina, just over the Savannah
River from Georgia. John de la Howe's land was willed to the state in 1797 for the
development of a school of agriculture for orphaned boys and girls to learn manual
trade skills. Over the last 200 years, the school's purpose, strategy and student
body has varied, and it closed its doors in 2018 to reinvent itself as the South Carolina
Governor’s School for Agriculture - a residential high school that will educate students
for careers in the many fields associated with agriculture.
This charrette was conducted in collaboration with school administrators and alumni
to visualize the redevelopment of their campus. By respecting the historic site and
understanding curricular needs, the goal was to develop ideas for a conceptual, sustainable
master plan that realizes the site's potential and accommodates necessary growth -
including expanded historic cottage residences, new academic buildings, additional
parking, and agritourism spaces. MLA student Brandon Platt co-led the charrette for
his thesis, "The Practical Application of Campus Design Guiding Principles: The John
de la Howe Magnet School of Agriculture".
Final Presentation PDF | Brandon Platt MLA Thesis - Conceptual Maps
Salem Camp Ground | Newton Co GA | March 29-31, 2019
The Board of Directors of Salem Camp Ground partnered with CED to develop a conceptual,
sustainable master plan that would expand the number of families who can reside on-site
during the annual Camp Meeting, and provide rental opportunities for groups seeking
space for reunions and retreats. The goal was to add additional lodging in a manner
that reflects the historic nature of the site and does not detract from traditional
practices, yet meets modern needs.
In 2018 Fall semester, CED students in Cultural Landscape Documentation undertook
historic research, documented existing conditions, identified character-defining features,
and crafted design guidelines for buildings and landscapes. Six master plan design
scenarios were presented to the Board of Directors, who provided feedback. A weekend
design charrette during 2019 Spring semester analyzed this feedback and refined the
master plan to address appropriate tent infill locations, auxiliary lodging, rehabilitation
of the fire hall and spring, and enhancement of the woods.
Final Presentation PDF | Final Report
Kaolin Museum charrette | Sandersville GA | Oct 19-20, 2018
Washington County, GA, is known as the Kaolin Capital of the World! Kaolin is a bright
white clay found along Georgia’s Fall Line. It has a variety of industrial uses, including
paper coating, ceramics clay, and cosmetics. Community leaders have proposed building
a natural history museum with focus on kaolin and the geology, industry, and culture
surrounding it. The UGA Archway Partnership enlisted CED’s help in planning the museum. A team of nine students – including Landscape
Architecture, Historic Preservation and Geology students – participated in a design
charrette to envision museum possibilities at three different sites in Sandersville:
a historic school, a vacant parcel downtown, and a 99-acre lot on the Fall Line Freeway.
Each site presented its own challenges and opportunities, and defined the type of
exhibits and programming that would work best.
Final Presentation PDF | Final Report
Winterville charrette | Winterville GA | Feb 24-26, 2017
Only six miles from Downtown Athens, Winterville is ready to strike a balance between
being attractive to young families, retirees and artists as well as encouraging businesses
that could thrive in a historic, small town atmosphere. The City wants to take the
lead in improving the appearance of government property, promoting pedestrian and
bicycle connectivity (especially around the planned Firefly Trail), and encouraging
new development to follow design construction standards. The charrette results include
a true gathering place in the town center, improvements for highway commercial architecture,
and walking and biking connections throughout town.
Facebook album | Posters
Wayfinding charrette | Sumter County GA | March 18-20, 2016
The Sumter County Archway Partnership/One Sumter Foundation engaged CED to develop
a wayfinding system and concepts for a shared graphic identity for Sumter County,
including the communities of Americus, Plains, Andersonville, Leslie and Lake Blackshear.
The result includes a transect analysis of primary corridors, a coordinated graphic
identity for major destinations, wayfinding standards for rural and urban areas, and
suggestions for enhancing the visitor experience.
Facebook album | Report Part I, Part II
Camp Hooray charrette | Jefferson GA | January 29-31, 2016
The University of Georgia’s College of Environment and Design and Georgia Tech’s College
of Architecture partnered with Extra Special People, Inc. to design Camp Hooray, the
first-of-its-kind, fully accessible overnight camp for children and young adults with
developmental disabilities. The semester began with a charrette and continued with
concurrent studios during Spring semester.
Facebook Album | Studio Report | Article
Boggs Rural Life Center Charrette | Keysville (Burke Co.) GA | April 2015
The Boggs Rural Life Center (BRLC) occupies the campus of the historic Boggs Academy,
which operated from 1906 – 1984 as a boarding school for African-Americans. The charrette
was a collaboration with Boggs Academy alumni and local advocates in a celebration
of the school and the development of rehabilitation strategies using the campus as
a rural retreat for teaching, learning and community service.
Final Report | Facebook album | “Saving Historic Boggs Academy” article
Blackwell Memorial High School Charrette | Elberton GA | March 2015
The Granite City Life Skills Foundation was interested in redeveloping the Blackwell
Memorial High School property into an after-school program. The goals of the charrette
were to document and celebrate the history of the Blackwell School, make phased recommendations
for the rehabilitation of the buildings and the design of the 6 acre landscape, and
conceptualize improvements for the surrounding neighborhood.
Final Posters | GCLS Foundation Facebook page
Bishop Park Master Plan Charrette | Athens GA | October 2014
At the request of Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Leisure Service staff, CCDP facilitated
community input through a survey and design charrette to determine what is popular
about Bishop Park and what amenities should be eliminated or introduced. A master
plan was developed during the charrette and refined by ACC park planning staff. It
is currently under consideration by the ACC government.
Facebook album | ACC Park Planning Website|Final Report
CHaRM – Center for Hard to Recycle Materials | Athens GA | February 2014
The CHARM site was envisioned as a convenient location for the recycling of non-curbside
pick-up items, but also as an opportunity to educate the public and enhance a gateway
location into Athens. This charrette addressed development of a preselected site
located near downtown Athens and bounded by the North Oconee River and Greenway and
an inert landfill. Two functional alternative concepts were produced which included,
reasonable solutions for visual, functional, social, economic and ecological aspects
of the site.
Final Report | Facebook album | ACC CHaRM Website
Fairmont Rosenwald School and Community | Griffin GA | October 2013
The city of Griffin was initiating improvements to this low-income, historically African-American
neighborhood, which includes a historic Rosenwald School building and the Fairmont
Homes public housing apartments. Charrette results include recommendations for aesthetic
improvements to the Fairmont Homes apartments and grounds, rehabilitation of the school
and gym, a neighborhood sidewalk analysis to improve connectivity, and recommendations
for residential rehabilitation and compatible infill housing.
Facebook album | Final Report
Southern Mill Charrette | Athens GA | February 2012
CCDP partnered with the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation (ACHF) on a conceptual design
plan and marketing effort for a historic textile mill. Solutions included a mixed-use
approach to incorporate light industrial, affordable housing, and an artist community.
CCDP developed a comprehensive website about the historic Southern Manufacturing Company
property and comparable redevelopment projects to assist in redevelopment efforts
for the mill. In June 2013, Millworks Holdings, a local developer, submitted plans to turn the
century-old mill into lofts by following the Planned Unit Development on file and
applying for historic rehabilitation tax credits. In March 2017 it was revealed that
local craft brewery Creature Comforts would be expanding its operations and anchoring the rehabilitated mill, echoing a
key local desire for the reuse of the property.
Marketing Flyer| Southern Mill website