EDUCATION l Keep Margaret Crawford on Your Book Shelf Noted architecture critic Herbert Muschamp walked out of an early presentation of what he called "unauthored work" when Margaret Crawford - the featured speaker at the CDCP's February Design Excellence Lecture Series - and her colleagues first presented ideas and essays from their new book Everyday Urbanism ten years ago. "We conceived of Everyday Urbanism (EDU) as an alternative urban design concept, a new way to reconnect urban research and design with ordinary human and social meanings. Borrowings selectively from the concepts of everyday life provided by Henri Lefebvre, Michel DeCerteau, and Mikhail Bakhtin we proposed a new set of urban design values." Others in the urban planning concurred: it has continued to be a seminal work on the topic. A new, updated edition of Everyday Urbanism was published in December 2008 and presents an umbrella approach with its selection of varied and even contradictory essays and projects. "If Everyday Urbanism designates a design approach, lower case everyday urbanism has become an accepted term to positively describe ordinary urban places and activities," according to Ms. Crawford. Order your copy of the updated edition of Everyday Urbanismnow.
SAVE THE DATE!
Pedal Pittsburgh 2009
Sunday, May 17
THIS YEAR at South Side Works
TESTIFY l City Planning Asks for Public Input on LED Billboard Regulations
The City Planning Commission is concerned with the impact of light LED (light emitting diode) compared to static billboards, the number of billboards that currently exist in the City, and the effects of proposed regulations. The commission is requesting additional public input to assist them in making decisions related to Councilman Burgess's proposed legislation. Please attend and be heard at this important public meeting on Wednesday, March 11at 5:30pm in the 1st floor Planning Department Conference Room at 200 Ross Street.
ADVOCACY l Revitalizing Older Cities Capitol Hill Summit
A contingent of Pittsburgh civic leaders, community organizers and public officials traveled to Washington DC in mid-February to participate in the Revitalizing Older Cities Summit. Included in the group was CDCP President & CEO, Anne-Marie Lubenau, AIA. The purpose of the meeting was to explore the vital links between federal policy and the revitalization of cities through exploration of case studies and idea exchange. Agenda items included transportation, housing, water, workforce economic development and green jobs. Members of Congress were also visited with the message that the overall health of our nation is measured by the health of our cities. The summit was sponsored by the Northeast-Midwest Institute - Center for Policy Initiative.
UPDATE l Beat Goes on for Heart of Troy Hill Project
Troy Hill Citizens (THC) received a $10,000 Design Fund grant in May 2008 to address streetscape planning and business district improvements. They worked with landscape architecture and planning firm Pashek Associates to undertake what became known as the "Heart of Troy Hill Plan." The soon-to-be-complete plan addresses connectivity and resident, visitor and vehicular flow through the business district and neighborhood cultural destinations; public space improvements; signage; and potential facade improvements. Elements of the "Heart of Troy Hill" will be considered in the development of a comprehensive Neighborhood Plan, which will be funded with a $15,000 grant from the City of Pittsburgh.
WELCOME l Design Professionals Join RenPlan® Program Ranks
Following an early February New Consultant Orientation, the RenPlan® Program volunteer ranks grew by twelve. Please welcome: Shannon Ashmore, Ryan Bostic, Matt Bovee, Shawn Brown, Emily Dritz, Jonathan Hoag, Mark Hoffman, Matthew Manzo, Megan O'Hara, Lindsey Reed, Chris Roma, RLA, and Don Sivavec. Design professionals holding a degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or interior design are eligible to be RenPlan® program consultants. Consultants contribute to improving the planning and design of Pittsburgh's neighborhoods. For more information, contact Zack Ambrose at zambrose@cdcp.org.
ON THE ROAD l RenPlan® Program Team at the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show
Tara Nelson and her RenPlan® team will be on-site at the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center the last weekend in February and first weekend in March. RenPlan® Program consultants will be on hand to answer questions and schedule an in-home visit. Hot-off-the-press Resource Guides will be available for sale, and any RenPlan® Program consultation scheduled during the Home & Garden Show will receive a special price! See you there.
UPCOMING EVENTS l Mark Your Calendars
March 28 - Preserve Pittsburgh Summit April 20 - Design Excellence Lecture Series featuring Walter Hood May 1 - Design Fund Grant Application Deadline May 17 - Pedal Pittsburgh For information on any of these events or activities, call the CDCP at 412.391.4144
To be removed from this mailing list, please respond to this email with "remove" in the subject line.
mission The Community Design Center of Pittsburgh (CDCP) is a non-profit organization that improves quality of life by encouraging good design of the built environment. By 2015, our goal is to establish Pittsburgh as a recognized place where good design of the built environment is a defining feature.
