The Eastern Shoshone Tribe is working toward the construction of a new facility in Fort Washakie, WY, that can house the Tribe’s cultural center and museum and also be a repository for Tribal archives, artifacts, and records from the Tribal Historic Preservation Office. The CIRD local design workshop focused on creating a building program that ties together these different uses while honoring the Tribe’s many cultural assets, ancestral collections, and rich history.

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.

On the edge of downtown, Dublin City Park is a vital green space and gathering place for family outings and events. The park is the site of the beloved Hispanic Heritage Festival and potentially many more events, including the local farmers market which contributes to Dublin’s economy. CIRD worked with the Dublin Public Library, Park staff, city officials, and more on design concepts to revitalize the existing park pavilion and parkland to create a functional, accessible park for all.

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.

Only one-half a mile from Grenada’s town square, the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve is an ecological gem and hub for environmental education and community healing. Just north sits the Grenada Airfield Hangar, which retains historic value and might anchor economic development if preserved or re-purposed. CIRD worked with city officials, educators, artists, and youth, on design concepts for a gathering place that will connect people with nature while offering possibilities for the historic hangar.

Two Harbors, MN, offers access to nature and a warm welcome on the rocky shores of Lake Superior. This tight-knit community of 3,600 is working to improve its quality of life and visitor experiences while taking advantage of the picturesque lakeshore that encompasses the town. The CIRD workshop for Two Harbors focused on planning a waterfront that’s vibrant and sustainable while honoring the town’s identity and history.

CIRD’s local design workshop in Mount Sterling, KY focused on reimagining the Adena Trail, a vital green space for the local community. Persistent flooding and the area’s current utilization for a historic event have limited the community’s access to the site. CIRD worked with the Gateway Regional Arts Center and others on design concepts for an amphitheater, boardwalk, and other amenities that transform the Adena Trail into a place of gathering and recreation for community members year-round.

Driving down Route 41 in rural western Indiana, a pit stop in Boswell is an opportunity to see rural design and creative placemaking happening in real time. With leadership from J.O.B.S. Renewable Fund, Inc. and support from CIRD, citizens are collaborating to repurpose the local elementary school and nearby grounds. The local design workshop focused on ways to turn the closed school into a multi-use indoor and outdoor space that meets the multiple needs of Benton County’s residents.

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, is ground zero for showcasing the power of arts-led economic and community development in rural communities. The 2024 CIRD local design workshop, hosted in this small town where the distinct cultures and landscapes of eastern and central Kentucky come together, is already informing the national rural design conversation. Gateway Regional Arts Center and their partnerships in Mt. Sterling offer insights for any community that wants to anchor the future of public space in arts, culture, and design.

CIRD recently engaged Rory Doyle, a nationally renowned photographer based in Cleveland, Mississippi in the rural Mississippi Delta, to document their time working with community members in Grenada, Mississippi, through CIRD’s local design workshop focused on Grenada, Mississippi’s Chakchiuma Swamp. In this interview, CIRD caught up with Rory to talk about rural development, his approach to photojournalism, and amplifying rural storytelling.

In 2018, Valentine, Nebraska (population 2,630) partnered with CIRD for a Local Design Workshop, bringing together hundreds of citizens, local elected leaders, the Nebraska Department of Transportation, and rural design experts to reimagine Valentine’s Main Street corridor, which doubles as a state highway. A recent Norfolk Daily News article highlights ongoing progress in Valentine, mentioning CIRD’s catalytic role.

When the Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD) team speaks to thought leaders in rural design across the country, there is unanimous and emphatic praise for Emily Roush-Elliot’s work over the last decade in the Mississippi Delta.