Browse Content: community character & design

Photography or video contests invite members of a community to submit photos on a certain topic, generally community character or special places, to collect different perspectives on how residents see the community's heart and soul.

The HeartSpots project, an interactive storytelling project created for the Heart & Soul project of Biddeford, Maine, allows citizens to record stories and memories through cell phones at many of their favorite locations on Main St.

Inspired by a combination of underutilized sites and unmet community needs in the city of New Orleans, this low-cost initiative allows people to voice ideas for vacant buildings using fill-in-the-blank stickers.

The Dunn Foundation is concerned with the quality of the visual environment with a major emphasis on educational programs to increase public awareness of and appreciation for community appearance and community identity.

Participants in a Crayon Your Community event draw maps of their neighborhoods or towns, including all natural and built elements that they identify as important to their vision of the community.

Spurred by a tragic fire in which much of the Island’s recorded history burned to the ground, the Swan’s Island Memory Project aims to revive recollections of the small Maine Island through recorded histories and historical photographs.

Sound mapping encompasses a range of projects and techniques used to capture and contribute to the aural character of a place. In most cases, sounds are recorded from various locations, and are tied to those places with maps or listening stations.

“CommunityViz is advanced yet easy-to-use GIS software designed to help people visualize, analyze, and communicate about important community planning decisions.”

Union Court is the heart of the Australian National University campus, and the University is revitalizing the area to create a new hub for the ANU community.

Golden Vision 2030 is a comprehensive visioning plan that engages a broad spectrum of the community to deeply explore the City’s character, strengths and opportunities for change, with a focus on planning at the neighborhood level.