Promoting Sustainability through the Art of Design for Businesses and Neighborhoods

Winner of a 2011 American Planning Association—Texas Chapter ‘Current Planning’ Award

Winner of a 2011 Alliance for Innovation ‘Outstanding Achievement in Innovation’ Award

Winner of the 2010 Midwest Texas APA Planning Advocate Award

What is urban design?

Urban design is a discipline, which considers how structures and spaces between them are integrated and shaped together to create a functional, attractive, memorable, comfortable, animated, and safe city. Some of the major elements of urban design are natural features—lakes, open spaces, vegetation--while other elements have to do with built environment, e.g., buildings, streets and street furniture, bicycles, automobiles, and buses.

It is the Arlington Urban Design Center’s goal to promote sustainable urban design. Sustainability, in simple terms, means something that will be cherished for generations to come.

Mission
The Arlington Urban Design Center aims to create public awareness about the importance of urban design and its impact on the quality of life, environment, and economic investment.

This Design Center was established in June 2009 through a creative collaboration between the City of Arlington and the University of Texas at Arlington. Graduate students and professors from UTA's School of Architecture and School of Urban and Public Affairs work closely with City staff on business and neighborhood development projects in Arlington. Students "learn by doing" as they work with City planning staff and benefit from the opportunity of working on real-world projects.

The Design Center seeks to provide urban design solutions and innovative ideas, and present before and after images, at no cost to the general public.

Some of the projects will include:

	Business Facade Improvements
	Development of Neighborhood Plans
	Design Concepts for Civic Spaces and Buildings
	Infill/Redevelopment Designs
	Green Building Demonstrations
	Streetscape Designs

Check out UT Arlington Magazine’s video segment on the Arlington Urban Design Center!  -  Read the article here.
 

This center is funded by the City of Arlington and UTA, as well as
PRIVATE DONATIONS.

Contributions are always welcome and are U.S. tax-deductible!

To learn more about this program, submit a project for consideration, or to find out how you can contribute, please contact Lyndsay Mitchell at 817-459-6653 or Lyndsay.Mitchell@arlingtontx.gov.

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