Background 
As part of the Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative (SSCI), a Charrette Series was held between 1 and 25 March 2010. The SSCI Charrette Series provided a unique and innovative opportunity for Scotland to develop new approaches to sustainable planning while enabling a new level of public engagement in the place-making process.
A 'charrette' is an interactive and intensive multi-disciplinary event that engages local people with experts to develop designs for their community. It is a hands-on approach where ideas are translated into plans and drawings.
The charrettes developed designs for three of the SSCI exemplar projects at: Ladyfield, Dumfries; Lochgelly, Fife; and Grandhome, Aberdeen. This involved a series of intense design workshops lead by the internationally acclaimed designer, Andres Duany, each engaging with key stakeholders to deliver community masterplans and a vision of vibrant future communities. The events featured large, public presentations, encouraging the views of local communities to help formulate the visions, as well as several specific meetings for special interest groups within each of the sites' local areas.
The SSCI Charrette Series has been designed to provide new potential models of good practice for sustainable development, and will illustrate that high-quality, sustainable places can be delivered across the whole of Scotland.
Speaking about the SSCI Charrette Series, Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Planning said,
"The charrettes are a truly innovative and exciting approach to empowering communities that the Scottish Government is pioneering on a national scale. They allow people to positively shape the decision-making process in their communities in a dynamic and effective way, improving the quality, attractiveness and success of places across Scotland."
The Process
Charrettes involve a series of interactive design workshops held over a number of days where the public, local design professionals and project consultants work together on developing a detailed masterplan for a site. A number of meetings are also held during this process which enable all stakeholders to discuss the key policies and issues relating to the site.
A key benefit of this approach is that local residents are involved throughout the duration of the design process, heightening awareness of sustainable development issues and informing subsequent decisions on the future of their community.
Andres Duany & DPZ
Led by Andres Duany, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ), has extensive experience in town design, having planned over 300 new communities in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. Considered to be amongst the leading practitioners of sustainable design in the world, DPZ advocates mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly design as opposed to the suburban sprawl model popularised in the 1960s. Principals Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk are founders of the Congress for New Urbanism and the authors of numerous books on architecture, planning and design codes. The firm executes the majority of its work through the Charrette methodology, engaging the general public in the design process through week-long public workshops.
The SSCI Charrette Series Projects
Three SSCI projects took part in the Charrette Series from the eleven exemplars that were recognised as working towards 'Creating a Scottish Sustainable Community'. The selected projects were:
Series Programme and Key Events
The Charrette Series ran between 1 and 25 March, broken down into distinct elements as follows:
SSCI Charrette Series Opening Event
The SSCI Charrette Series was opened on March 1, 2010 in Edinburgh and was attended by representatives from professional groups, local authorities, government agencies and NGOs. The event was introduced by Chief Planner Jim Mackinnon and was followed by an opening speech by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP. Presentations were also made by representatives from each of the SSCI project teams involved in the Charrette Series who outlined their aspirations. The event concluded with a special lecture by Andres Duany, Principal of Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company and facilitator of the SSCI Charrette Series.
SSCI Charrette Series Closing Event
The SSCI Charrette Series closed with an event in Edinburgh on March 25, 2010. The event was attended by professionals from a range of organisations across Scotland and provided an opportunity for guests to review and discuss the outcomes of the Charrette Series. Andres Duany gave a seminar on the Charrette Series which included a series of mini lectures on each of the three projects.
SSCI Charrette Series Outcomes
Following the conclusion of the Charrette Series on-site, specific deliverables for each landowner were identified and action plans for each site are in the process of being drawn up. A Charrette Series report was published in October 2010 and provides a detailed explanation of the processes and outcomes of the Charrette Series and outlines the three sites as case studies for sustainable development in Scotland.
To view the Charrette Series report please click here.
Charrette Workshop
As part of the SSCI Initiative, the Scottish Government hosted a Charrette Workshop on June 3, 2010 at The Point Hotel in Edinburgh. The workshop was led by Andres Duany and was open to all those involved in Scotland's future place making agenda. 80 people attended the workshop including planning officers from local authorities, architects, house builders, representatives from NGOs and academics working in the built environment field. By drawing on his vast experience of conducting Charrettes, Andres Duany discussed both the challenges in running charrettes as well as the key criteria needed to hold a successful charrette.
Following on from the workshop, drawing skills were identified as a key tool required by most built environment professionals, and so plans are now underway by the Scottish Government to look into how best to provide classes.
SSCI Exhibition
Originally launched at The Lighthouse in May 2009, the Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative (SSCI) Exhibition was updated in Spring 2010 to include the work produced during the Charrette Series. The updated exhibition displays material about the Initiative, the 11 demonstration projects and the outputs of the Charrette Series.
The SSCI and the Charrette Series take an innovative approach to planning with a focus on more effective means of public engagement to deliver better outcomes. The exhibition displays the material generated during the Charrette Series that will contribute to better place-making practice across Scotland while also providing models of best practice for sustainable development internationally.
In June 2010, the exhibition was taken to Munich, Germany to raise international awareness of the SSCI and the Charrette Series. The Bavarian State Secretary, Gerhard Eck, opened the exhibition on June 7, 2010 at the Bavarian Ministry's Principal Building Authority with a presentation on planning and place making in Bavaria, which was followed by a presentation on the Scottish Planning System by Chief Planner, Jim Mackinnon. The event was attended by 70 people from across Bavaria including public and civil servants, architects, planners, engineers and politicians.
An SSCI Exhibition Roadshow programme is currently being developed - details of this will be posted here in due course.
Images from the SSCI Exhibition