The exhibition Urban Hot Spots explores urban areas that are economically and socially successful. Hot spots often share certain features in common – natural resources that are capitalized upon successfully; historic areas that are preserved and celebrated; successful transportation systems integrated into the overall city plan; and areas that have undergone decline but experience a successful rebirth.

By highlighting development projects in these areas that contribute to their success, this exhibit illuminates creative solutions to urban design challenges and will hopefully help to inspire a sense of the possible in our local region. Urban Hot Spots exists as part of Reshaping Rochester!, a series of events and lectures highlighting exemplary urban design. For information on our other events, please check out

STRUCTURES FOR INCLUSION 7
April 13-15, 2007 | Charlotte, NC

Design Corps is pleased to announce that its seventh offering in the Structures for Inclusion conference series will take place April 13-15, 2007, at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Addressing the theme "High Impact: Positive Change Through Design/Build," SFI7 will focus on the growing interest in design/build as both an academic and a professional methodology.

Design/build has offered an excellent venue for creating positive change through architecture as it encompasses both the idea and the execution, providing a tool for designers to take real and immediate action. What is being shown through realized examples is that design/build is relevant to many social, political, and environmental issues. The attention on this impact has led the profession to reassess its role, educators to re-evaluate their teaching models, and the public to reconsider the ways designers can contribute to the issues individuals face daily.

With a focus on current case studies, SFI7 will provide students, educators, and other design professionals with informative examples of the best academic and practice-based projects. Case studies are selected to demonstrate exemplary and visionary techniques for executing design/build projects, providing a forum for learning, discussion and evolution of design/build. Presentations will include examples ranging from Katrina and tsunami disaster relief to political constructions and digital fabrication.
SFI7 is being co-organized by the University of North Carolina Charlotte College of Architecture, and Design Corps, and will be held after

CriticalMASS, an annual symposium hosted by the College of Architecture’s Master of Architecture Student Society (MASS) in the spring. Each year, CriticalMASS gathers professionals, faculty, and graduate students from various universities to participate in a focused discussion and critique of the architectural design and research generated within the southeastern region. This year’s invited critics and the keynote speakers are SHoP Architects.
Complete details, including Registration and Travel information, can be found on the new Design Corps website at www.designcorps.org/sfi7.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Schedule

Friday, April 13, 2007
UNC Charlotte – College of Architecture, Storrs Hall
9201 University City Blvd.

6:30pm--CriticalMASS Speakers
Christopher & William Sharples, SHoP Architects (New York, NY)

Saturday, April 14, 2007
UNC Charlotte – College of Architecture, Storrs Hall
9201 University City Blvd.

8:30-9:30am—Registration & Coffee

9:30-10:00am—Introductory Speaker
Steve Badanes, Univ. of Washington, College of Arch. & Urban Planning

10:00am-12:00pm--Panel I: “Community/Activism”
Panelists
Heavy Trash (Los Angeles, CA)
Patrick Rhodes & Ronald Lewis, Project Locus (New Orleans, LA)
Tsunami Safe(R) House, SENSEable City Laboratory (Cambridge, MA)
Scott Shall, International Design Clinic (Lafayette, LA)

Moderator
Linda Samuels, UNC Charlotte College of Architecture

12:00-1:30pm—Catered Lunch

1:30-3:00pm—Panel II: “Education”
Panelists
Phoebe Crisman, University of Virginia School of Architecture
Jori Erdman, Clemson School of Architecture
Nils Gore & Robert Corser, University of Kansas School of Architecture

Moderator
John Nelson, UNC Charlotte College of Architecture

3:00-3:00pm—Break

3:30-5:00pm—Panel III: “Practice”
Panelists
Lori Ryker, Ryker/Nave Design (Livingston, MT)
Vincent Petrarca, Tonic Design & Tonic Construction (Raleigh, NC)
Luke Clark Tyler, Task Force for the Homeless (Atlanta, GA)

Moderator
Carrie Gault, UNC Charlotte College of Architecture

5:00-6:00pm—Wrap-up and questions