To celebrate and promote the profession of architecture, provide opportunities for professional growth, and improve the built environment.

A Charrette is a creative, intense work session (or series of sessions) that brings together interested parties to study a community issue and then develop various practical solutions for it. Participants include professionals from various disciplines involved with the built environment, government officials, community leaders and /or private citizens. A Charrette may involve several hours or last several days, depending on the issue being addressed.

For further information about charrettes please visit National Charrette Institute (www.charretteinstitute.org).

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley Design Charrette (04/17/10)

AIA Northeast Illinois’ culminating event for Architecture Week involved a charrette to design a master plan for affordable single-family housing in northern Kane County for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Fox Valley. The site is just off the northwest corner of Randall and Binnie roads, near the Carpentersville municipal limits.

On Saturday, April 17, 2010, five groups, comprised of chapter members, residents, private developers, Judson University students and faculty and other interested individuals, created five different designs. “Each one had very positive and useful aspects,” said Habitat Executive Director Barb Beckman. “The groups all kept in mind that we provide affordable houses, and that was reflected in home size and lot size in the plans. Plus, the site includes wetlands and wooded areas, including trees that are more than 200years old. We can’t bulldoze those. This is a beautiful site, and the plans the groups created take advantage of the natural environment.”

In fact, one group suggested putting decks on garage roofs to provide a better view, while another group added walking bridges over some of the ponds. “There were some very creative and do-able ideas presented,” Beckman said.

“This was a wonderful opportunity to combine our members’ skills and knowledge with those of others, to help a wonderful organization,” said Chuck Ditchman, AIA, chair of the design charrette event. “Habitat for Humanity now has several design schemes to work with. And Judson University faculty members may continue working on the site and program this summer.”

Habitat representatives will next show the plans to Carpentersville officials for input. “We have options and possibilities to help us move forward,” said Beckman. “One of the more important questions we needed answered was how many homes we would be able to build. We have a much better picture now of the possibilities.”

Winner Selected for NEI’s Breaking Free Design Charrette (01/23/2010)

On Saturday, January 23, 2010, AIA Northeast Illinois’ EmergingProfessionals and Pro Bono Subcommittee sponsored a design charrette to create ideas for Breaking Free, a not-for-profit group which helps women in crisis in Aurora.

The purpose of the charrette was to generate design ideas forrenovating a room used for counseling women in a life-skills program run by the organization. Criteria for the 20 person room included: paint color and schemes for all four walls, flooring selection, a way to securely screen the counseling program prize area, media center storage solution andproducts selection, coffee station, arts and crafts storage and use center, new furniture ideas, and ceilingoptions.

Charrette participants included a group of young architects and students from The Illinois InstituteofArt,Schaumburg. With four teams of two, the designers worked for four hours designing a space utilizing the criteria established by the clinic. The teams were allowed three hours to create their designs followed by presentations toclinic members.Deliberations by the judges resulted in the design by Tony Daniel and ColleenEaster, students from the Interior Design Program,being selected as mostappropriate and usable. Their solution will eventually be implemented with their assistance.


Wood Dale - Mixed-use, Mixed-income Redevelopment Charrette (04/21/07)

At the request of Wood Dale city leaders, AIA Northeast Illinois members and community representatives brainstormed ideas for mixed-use, mixed-income redevelopment of a downtown site. The workshop provided an opportunity for an open discussion among all community stakeholders and resulted in four concepts that incorporated affordable condominiums, town homes and green space.

Wood Dale Charette Design Concepts


Wheaton - Hubble Middle School Redevelopment Charrette (09/08/07)

An AIA-facilitated design charrette was held in Wheaton to discuss options for the redevelopment of the downtown Hubble Middle School site. Wheaton City Councilwoman Liz Corry was among the municipal leaders in support of this creative approach to getting community feedback in the development of affordable housing.

Hubble Charette Design Concepts

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