Despite enduring hurricanes and various challenges, the vibrant community of SWLA is becoming stronger than ever—7,300 ideas contributing to the 50-year Resilience Plan, securing $40 million in funding, and revitalizing the downtown area!

The plan provided the community with a blueprint for rebuilding. Today, Paradise is the fastest-growing community in California, boasting some of the country’s strictest building codes. Although the last chapter is yet to be written, both former and new residents are returning to “find the Town of Paradise to be all its name implies.”

On April 16, the Baltimore City Planning Commission voted unanimously to accept the Cherry Hill Transformation Plan as the official community-managed plan for the neighborhood—the result of 6 months of hard work by the community. Now, with the urgent threat of COVID-19 and a disproportionate number of deaths in the community, the Cherry Hill Development Corporation is leading efforts to address immediate needs, begin implementation, and advocate for change.

2019 Arthur Ross Award Acceptance Speech 
by Paul Ostergaard, FAIA, AoU 

Eric and I are honored to receive this award on behalf of everyone at Urban Design Associates. We thank the ICCA selection committee for this wonderful recognition.

On the morning of November 8th, the Town of Paradise and the unincorporated communities of Concow and Magalia were forever changed by the Camp Fire. It was the most destructive and deadliest wildfire in California history. The Town and County immediately affirmed their commitment to rebuild.

With the world’s first Digital Pattern Book, MyChattHouse.com, the Chattanooga Design Studio sought to create a web-based tool to help builders, developers, city officials, and neighbors to understand the important aspects of Chattanooga’s historic neighborhoods and architecture, in order to maintain that character and quality while the city undergoes growth and change. 

East Nashville lies across the Cumberland River from downtown – a bohemian enclave for artists, musicians and – more lately – upwardly mobile professionals who are soaking up its hipster lifestyle.

Cities in North Africa, the Saudi Arabian peninsula, and the Levant face unique challenges from the tremendous heat and dusty winds of the surrounding desert and high humidity along coastal areas. These environmental forces along with social and cultural norms have resulted in unique cities created over the past several centuries. Built in the pre-industrial era, these old cities offer many lessons for designing dense urban districts that are environmentally responsive and sustainable. There are many fine examples of modern cities influenced by international planning techniques but adapted to the unique environmental challenges of the MENA region.