Local Design Workshop

Past workshops

With support from a wide range of design, planning, and creative placemaking professionals, CIRD design workshops bring together local residents and local leaders from non-profits, community organizations, and government to develop actionable solutions to a specific design challenge. Workshops are facilitated by CIRD’s experienced resource team members in partnership with and driven by local people who are deeply invested in their community.

Interactive workshop activities allow community members to vote on ideas in Millinocket, Maine. Photo courtesy Malorrie Ann Photography.

“We have been working a lot on improving our community engagement strategy and CIRD has reinforced our work in a positive way... a wider range of people were engaged--beyond the scope of what groups we were able to engage before. The CIRD process helped in understanding how to broach some of the harder topics and provide an avenue to talk about them.”

— Akwesasne Mohawk Territory team member

Featured workshops

Workshops

February 26-28, 2024

Sunnyside, WA

Affordable Housing Development with Community in Mind

With affordable housing demand at an all-time high, especially for Central Washington farmworker communities, Catholic Charities Housing Services is creating a high-density neighborhood in Sunnyside, WA that provides around 200 affordable homes along with community connector amenities such as green spaces, community centers, and avenues for personal and professional growth. CIRD worked with CCHS, local stakeholders, and community residents to more deeply explore these neighborhood concepts.

Workshops

November 29-December 1, 2023

Thompson Falls, MT

An Outdoor Space Reimagined in Thompson Falls, MT

The Kaniksu Land Trust is working closely with the United States Forest Service and other Thompson Falls organizations, residents, and local officials to reimagine a parcel of Forest Service land affectionately known as “The Orchard.” CIRD’s local design workshop opened up communications between the local Forest Service office and the community in Thompson Falls, making space for honest conversations about the community’s goals for the project.

Workshops

August 3-5, 2022

Spring Grove, MN

Living Library in Spring Grove, MN

Spring Grove 2030 is working closely with residents, local government, the public school, and more to redevelop the downtown area. CIRD’s August 3-5 local design workshop built on the momentum brought by the Spring Grove Economic Development Authority and earlier Spring Grove 2030 activities, concentrating on the conceptual development of multifunctional arts and cultural spaces that can nurture and support the intertwining needs of the local public school and broader community.

Workshops

March 22-24, 2022

Keene, NH

Revitalizing an Arts Corridor in Keene, NH

Arts Alive! is working with downtown organizations, artists, and residents to build on recent cultural development projects, including a library expansion, a new performance venue, and other community amenities. The March 22-24 CIRD workshop engaged residents to guide the design of public spaces that link these individual cultural projects to fulfill a comprehensive vision of an arts corridor, improve parking, and transform the area into an economically viable, connected, and active downtown.

Local residents vote on streetscape concepts during a workshop in Valentine, NE. Photo by P&W Photography.

Engaging expert rural design leaders

Our program is led in partnership with respected architects, landscape architects, community planners, economic development experts, and transportation planners, many of whom live and work in rural places and are passionate about their work. CIRD strives to connect workshop communities with both national and local or regional expertise. If you are a designer interested in working with CIRD, contact cird@ruralhome.org.