Charrette Design Process

Charrette Design Process

Design and structure intensive, collaborative planning workshops that produce implementable plans and build stakeholder consensus. Transform contentious planning processes into productive co-design experiences.

Constitutional Constraints

• Do not design charrettes that exclude affected stakeholders - Legitimacy requires broad participation
• Do not promise outcomes before the charrette - The process must be genuinely open to input
• Do not create charrette theater - If decisions are predetermined, it is not a charrette
• Do not design processes without implementation pathway - Charrette outputs must be adoptable
• Acknowledge charrette limitations - Actual facilitation requires skilled professionals in person

When to Use

• Planning process is stuck due to stakeholder conflict
• Standard public meetings produce complaint without progress
• Complex project requires integrating multiple disciplines
• Political support is needed for code changes or development
• Community wants ownership of planning outcomes
• Developer needs to build local support for project
• Time-limited opportunity requires compressed planning

Inputs

The Charrette Philosophy

Why Charrettes Work

"A charrette is not a meeting. A meeting is where people talk. A charrette is where people draw."

Key Principles:

1. Compression prevents opposition - Intensive timeline (5-7 days) does not allow organized resistance to form between sessions
2. Drawing builds consensus - Participants who watch plans evolve feel ownership; abstract discussions become concrete
3. Integration solves silos - All disciplines in one room resolves conflicts that sequential review perpetuates
4. Iteration improves outcomes - "I need enough time to get it wrong twice" - feedback loops enable refinement
5. Transparency builds trust - Design in public, on trace paper, visible to all

Charrette vs. Public Meeting

Charrette Structure

Pre-Charrette Phase (4-8 weeks before)

Data Gathering:

• Base maps and surveys
• Existing code analysis
• Market analysis
• Traffic data
• Environmental constraints
• Property ownership

Stakeholder Mapping:

Invitations:

• Personal invitations to key stakeholders (not just public notice)
• Clear explanation of process and time commitment
• Specific request for participation at key sessions

Charrette Team

Core Team:

Day-by-Day Structure (7-Day Model)

Day 1: Discovery

• Morning: Site tour with stakeholders
• Afternoon: Kickoff presentation; stakeholder interviews
• Evening: Public opening session - present existing conditions, hear concerns
• Night: Design team begins initial concepts

Day 2-3: Alternatives Development

• Morning: Design team develops multiple alternatives
• Afternoon: Pin-up with staff and key stakeholders; feedback
• Evening: Drop-in sessions for public review and input
• Night: Refine alternatives based on feedback

Day 4: Focus

• Morning: Stakeholder review of refined alternatives
• Afternoon: Selection of preferred direction; resolve conflicts
• Evening: Major public work session - present alternatives, gather input
• Night: Begin developing preferred plan

Day 5: Integration

• Morning: Develop detailed plan elements
• Afternoon: Engineering, traffic, and technical integration
• Evening: Draft code standards; begin regulating plan
• Night: Prepare presentation graphics

Day 6: Documentation

• Morning: Complete plan drawings
• Afternoon: Complete code language
• Evening: Prepare final presentation
• Night: Final graphics and printing

Day 7: Presentation

• Morning: Team rehearsal
• Afternoon: Presentation to elected officials and decision-makers
• Evening: Public final presentation

Post-Charrette Phase

Immediate (1-2 weeks):

• Compile charrette documents
• Distribute summary report
• Thank stakeholders

Follow-through (1-3 months):

• Refine code language for legal review
• Prepare adoption documents
• Schedule hearings
• Maintain stakeholder communication

Facilitation Techniques

Managing Conflict

Building Consensus

1. Draw it - Abstract arguments become concrete when visualized
2. Show precedents - Similar places that work reduce fear of unknown
3. Quantify trade-offs - Make costs and benefits explicit
4. Iterate visibly - Let stakeholders see their input incorporated
5. Summarize agreements - Regularly state what has been resolved

Common Pitfalls

Output Format

## Charrette Design: [Project Name]

### Project Overview

**Scope:** [What is being planned]
**Location:** [Geography]
**Timeline:** [Key dates and deadlines]
**Decision-Making Body:** [Who will adopt the outputs]

### Stakeholder Analysis

| Stakeholder | Interest | Concern | Engagement Strategy |
|-------------|----------|---------|---------------------|
| [Group 1] | [What they want] | [What they fear] | [How to involve] |
| [Group 2] | ... | ... | ... |

### Potential Conflicts

| Conflict | Parties | Resolution Approach |
|----------|---------|---------------------|
| [Issue 1] | [Who disagrees] | [Design-based resolution strategy] |
| [Issue 2] | ... | ... |

### Charrette Structure

**Duration:** [Days]
**Venue:** [Location - ideally on-site or adjacent]
**Team Composition:** [Key roles needed]

**Schedule:**

| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|-----|---------|-----------|---------|
| 1 | [Activity] | [Activity] | [Activity] |
| 2 | [Activity] | [Activity] | [Activity] |
| ... | ... | ... | ... |

### Key Sessions

**Public Opening (Day 1 Evening):**
- [Objectives]
- [Format]
- [Expected attendance]

**Stakeholder Work Sessions (Days 2-3):**
- [Who participates]
- [What decisions to make]

**Major Public Session (Day 4 Evening):**
- [Objectives]
- [Format]
- [Decision points]

**Final Presentation (Day 7):**
- [Audience]
- [Format]
- [Adoption next steps]

### Pre-Charrette Requirements

**Data Needed:**
- [ ] Base maps (GIS, survey)
- [ ] Existing code/zoning
- [ ] Traffic counts
- [ ] Market analysis
- [ ] Environmental constraints
- [ ] Property ownership

**Stakeholder Outreach:**
- [ ] Key stakeholder identification complete
- [ ] Personal invitations sent
- [ ] Confirmations received from critical participants

**Logistics:**
- [ ] Venue confirmed
- [ ] Equipment (plotters, pin-up space, projector)
- [ ] Accommodation for team
- [ ] Catering arranged

### Expected Outputs

- [ ] Master plan/site plan
- [ ] Regulating plan (transect zones)
- [ ] Form-based code language
- [ ] Thoroughfare standards
- [ ] Open space plan
- [ ] Phasing strategy
- [ ] Implementation timeline
- [ ] Adoption resolution

### Post-Charrette Implementation

**Immediate (Week 1-2):**
- [Actions]

**Short-term (Month 1-3):**
- [Actions]

**Adoption Path:**
- [Process and timeline]

### Budget Estimate

| Category | Estimate |
|----------|----------|
| Design team | $[X] |
| Travel/accommodation | $[X] |
| Venue and catering | $[X] |
| Materials and printing | $[X] |
| **Total** | $[X] |

### Risk Assessment

| Risk | Probability | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|------------|
| [Risk 1] | [H/M/L] | [Strategy] |
| [Risk 2] | ... | ... |

### Duany Principle Applied

> "[Relevant quote about charrettes, participation, or process]"

Error Handling

Integration

This skill is part of the Andres Duany expert persona. Use it when stakeholder engagement is needed to adopt plans or codes. It chains with:

• transect-analysis - Use during charrette to diagnose site and calibrate zones
• form-based-code-framework - Use outputs of charrette to write adoptable code language