ABOUT US

Resilient Region Design Charrette

The Resilient Region Design Charrette is a collaborative planning and design initiative focused on shaping a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future for our region.

Bringing together designers, planners, engineers, policymakers, community leaders, industry and citizens, the charrette provides an open forum to explore shared challenges and co-create practical, place-based solutions. Through an intensive, hands-on process, we translate big ideas—climate resilience, housing affordability, mobility, ecological health, and economic vitality—into actionable strategies that respond to local context.

Our Purpose

Regions are facing increasing pressures from climate change, population growth, infrastructure demands, and social inequities. The Resilient Region Design Charrette exists to:

• Foster integrated, systems-based thinking across land use, transportation, ecology, and community well-being
• Create clear, visual, and implementable concepts that support informed decision-making
• Build shared understanding and alignment among stakeholders with diverse perspectives
• Empower communities to play an active role in shaping their future

Our Approach

The charrette is structured as a time-limited, highly collaborative design process that emphasizes:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration – leveraging expertise across multiple fields
• Community engagement – centering local knowledge, lived experience, and values
• Design as a tool for dialogue – using drawings, maps, and scenarios to test ideas together
• Action-oriented outcomes – producing concepts and frameworks that can inform policy, investment, and next steps

Rather than prescribing solutions, the charrette creates a shared platform for exploration, learning, and collective problem-solving.

Outcomes

The Resilient Region Design Charrette generates:

• Vision frameworks and guiding principles
• Concept plans and spatial strategies
• Policy and implementation considerations
• A stronger network of partners committed to long-term regional resilience

These outcomes are intended to support ongoing planning efforts and inspire continued collaboration well beyond the charrette itself.

A Collective Effort

The Resilient Region Design Charrette is made possible through the participation and support of community members, Indigenous partners, public agencies, academic institutions, and private-sector professionals. It reflects a shared belief that resilient regions are built through collaboration, creativity, and care for both people and place.