In July of 2018, the Center for Active Design (CfAD) published Assembly: Civic Design Guidelines, a groundbreaking playbook for creating well-designed and well-maintained public spaces as a force for building trust and healing divisions in local communities.
Pages 88 and 89 of the publication are focused on reclaiming underutilized infrastructure. The section features a number of great projects that you’ve read about here in REVITALIZATION, such as the Oval in Philadelphia, the Atlanta Beltline, and the Underline in Miami.
The Assembly Guidelines are the culmination of four years of research and collaboration—with input from 200+ studies, 50+ cities, and dozens of expert advisors—to provide evidence-based design and maintenance strategies for creating cities where people trust each other, have confidence in local institutions, and actively work together to address local priorities.
Funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, this is a pivotal and timely resource for anyone who designs, builds, manages, studies, or advocates for public space.
Practitioners can use the Assembly Guidelines in a variety of ways: apply the checklist to a public space project; initiate dialogue about local civic challenges; test tactical, low-cost design interventions; and shape decision-making around capital investments.
CfAD is sharing the Assembly Guidelines to provide an inspiring, practical tool that serves as a call to action for designing and maintaining great public spaces for all.