What is a Charrette?
The term Charrette describes the rapid, intensive, and creative work session in which a design team focuses on a particular design problem and arrives at a collaborative solution. Charrettes are product-oriented. Public charrettes bring all stakeholders to the table over a short period of time to work intensively with the design team to reach consensus over the future of an area.
Why should you participate in the ASARCO/TOD Charrette?
Participating in the ASARCO/TOD Charrette will give you a chance to express your vision for strategic locations in the City of El Paso and affect change for the future. Your participation will make the difference between a good plan and a great plan.
What does a Charrette accomplish?
The Charrette team will assemble a cross-section of local residents, stakeholders, public interest groups, government staff, and elected officials to participate in designing the conceptual plan for the site. Meetings with groups and individuals will be scheduled to gather and generate ideas for the plan. In an open design studio set up in a central location in El Paso, our multi-disciplinary design team will work rapidly over several days evaluating data, creating strategies, and refining overall ideas to establish consensus on what form the future development should take.
Design details of the conceptual master plan will be documented in sketches, photos, hand-drawn renderings, computer simulations, and highly accurate computer images. The conceptual plan will be graphically illustrated, and together with other illustrated documents, it will provide the foundation for creating design guidelines and revising existing land development regulations to direct reliable implementation of the plan.
Why is the Charrette process preferred?
The power of the Charrette is in getting busy people to focus long enough to establish a lasting consensus. The Charrette typically generates publicity and media attention that stimulates broad community support and participation. The process works best when everyone with an interest, from regulators to neighbors to business decision-makers, is available to participate. The shared excitement and enthusiasm generated among participants, public and private alike, creates community goodwill and support.
