The document discusses how schools can serve their local communities through design projects. The Conway School of Landscape Design partners with various communities to complete real design projects for paying clients at both small and large scales. Some examples of projects include food security plans for different cities, green infrastructure plans, and public park designs. The school's methodology involves extensive client and community input, data analysis before designing solutions, and public presentations of alternatives. Their approach aims to educate without preaching and listen to the community perspective.

1. Can
Schools
Serve
Community?
Adrian
Dahlin
Director
of
Admissions
+
Marke;ng
April
17,
2014

2. • 10-­‐month
MS
in
Ecological
Design
• Real
design
+
planning
projects
for
paying
clients
– scale:
residen;al,
community
+
municipal
– environment:
rural
+
urban
+
regional
• No
grades;
leave
with
a
professional
porMolio
• Graduates
are
excellent
communicators
– through
presenta;on,
wri;ng
+
graphics
About
Conway

3. • Theore;cal
projects
• Design
compe;;ons
• Hands-­‐on
projects
How
Can
Schools
Serve
Community?

4. • “Helicoptering
in”
• Lacking
historical
perspec;ve
• Incongruent
community
and
student
visions
• Too
strong
agenda
Should
Schools
Seek
to
Serve
Community?

5. • Rural
Studio:
design/build
– Auburn
undergrad
design
students
– Hale
County,
Alabama
– $20K
House
Challenge
Examples

8. • Rural
Studio:
design/build
– Auburn
undergrad
design
students
– Hale
County,
Alabama
• Designing
for
Success
conference
April
25-­‐26
– sponsored
by
SER
and
Conway
– design
charre[e
Examples

9. • Real
projects
for
paying
clients
• Client
buy-­‐in
• Weeks
of
analysis
before
design
solu;ons
• Community
mee;ngs,
public
input
• Public
presenta;ons
3-­‐4
weeks
before
finish
Conway’s
Methodology

10. • Food
Security:
Springfield,
Lowell,
Ajo
AZ,
Northampton,
Franklin
County,
Concord
MA
Conway
Serving
Community

13. • Food
Security:
Springfield,
Lowell,
Ajo
AZ,
Northampton,
Franklin
County,
Concord
MA
• Holyoke:
Green
Streets,
Placemaking
• Public
Parks
• Rail
Trails,
Green
Burial
• Master
Plans
Conway
Serving
Community

15. • Listen
well
• Analyze
first
–
what
do
the
data
show?
• Educate
but
don’t
preach
• Present
alterna;ves
• Listen
well
Community
Design
Principles

16.
“We
can’t
solve
problems
by
using
the
same
kind
of
thinking
we
used
when
we
created
them.”
-­‐Einstein
Thank
You
Adrian
Dahlin
Director
of
Admissions
+
Marke;ng
adrian@csld.edu
|
(413)
369-­‐4044