The SDAT workshop relies on substantial community and stakeholder engagement and is a very intense and interactive process. Through community input at a public meeting and focus groups, ideas for addressing critical social, economic, and ecological issues will be translated into different concepts for neighborhood renewal. These will be highly visual, with plenty of maps, sketches, and diagrams illustrating sustainable neighborhood renewal.

The Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) initiative is a national, competitive program of the American Institute of Architects. The program is a community assistance program that focuses on the principles of sustainability. SDATs bring teams of volunteer professionals (such as architects, urban designers, planners, landscape architects, hydrologists, economists, attorneys, and others) to assist community decision-makers and stakeholders to help them develop a vision and framework for a sustainable future. Visit the AIA SDAT website for complete information.

The SDAT process helps communities:

• understand their structure at various scales and contexts;
• explore interactions between ecological, sociological, economic, and physical systems;
• visualize potential futures;
• articulate the qualities of a place;
• advance the principles of sustainable communities; and
• define the role of stakeholders and players in both the public and private sectors.

Tuesday, October 13th
Time 6:oo-7:00pm: Open House
Julia Carson Government Center
300 East Fall Creek Parkway North Drive
More Information

Wednesday, October 28th

5:30-6:15pm: Free Community Dinner

6:15-8:30pm: Town Hall Meeting

Thursday, October 29th

7:00-7:30pm: Progress Check & Dessert

Friday, October 30th

6:30-8:00pm: Community Presentation

• All events are FREE.
• In addition to these key community events, the entire workshop is open to the public. Focus groups will also be held, with the topic and audience of each determined after input from the Oct 13th Open House.
• All events (except the Oct 13th Open House) will be held at the Washington Park Family Center, 3130 E 30th Street.
• Download a complete schedule (PDF)
  

The workshop is a three-day affair, concentrating on gathering community input on Wednesday, interpretting that input into several alternative visions and policies for the future on Thursday, and wrapping everything into a cohesive story for a public presentation on Friday.

Your input is critical to us.

The entire workshop is open to the public, although there are four primary opportunities geared specifically to gathering neighborhood input:

• October 28th: A free community dinner and town hall meeting beginning at 5:30pm.
• October 28th & 29th: Focus group interviews & small discussion. These focus groups are being determined by neighborhood input.
• October 29th: An opportunity to sit in on team progress reviews and enjoy a free dessert at 7pm.
• October 30th: Community presentation of findings at 6:30pm.

In addition, the entire workshop is open to the public. You are welcome to stop by and see the team in action anytime! Download a complete schedule (PDF)

And when we say sustainable doesn't just mean environmentally friendly, we mean it.

• Half of all funds spent on the workshop expenses go to neighborhood suppliers.
• Workshop is held in the neighborhood, at an accessible public park.
• All catering is supplied by neighborhood-based food providers (using biodegradable paper products where possible).
• The tour bus is operated by an Indy-based, minority-owned business.

We need to hear your voice. Sign up to attend one of our key events.

Or Register as a Design Professional or Ball State Student.