Creative Action is teaming up with the Urban Land Institute Louisiana for Imagine Downtown, an open ideas' competition focused on six sites in and around downtown Lafayette. Calling all students, architects, urban planners, designers, artists and creative professionals with an interest in shaping the future of downtown Lafayette. A local group working to build the Hub City's creative economy wants your ideas on how to "invigorate the urban core" of downtown.
Creative Action is teaming up with the Urban Land Institute Louisiana for Imagine Downtown, an "open ideas" competition focused on six sites in and around downtown Lafayette. Each of the sites, according to a release from Creative Action, has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. The contest invites anyone who's interested to present solutions on how to improve the designated areas.
The contest hopes to increase public interest and participation in LCG's comprehensive planning process, particularly the Downtown Strategic Framework Plan, "while also uniting surrounding neighborhoods and producing a 24-hour community:"
Site considerations include increasing affordable residential and mixed?use density; accommodating parking needs; reinforcing existing plazas, parks and streetscapes; strengthening pedestrian and bikeway connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's main campus; facilitating public transportation; and developing a sustainable urban condition. "What we hope to see as a result is a reassessment by the city, local developers, and the general public to promote smart?growth policies that would lead to a higher quality life for all of our citizens," says Creative Action founding member Phanat Xanamane.
Registration for the creative competition opens Aug. 30 with a $30 entry fee. Participants have until Oct. 15 to register, and all contest entries must be received by Jan. 15. One winner will be chosen from each of the six sites. Those participants will receive a $1,500 cash prize and be featured in a public exhibit of the projects following the competition.
Creative Action is a group focused on a building the local creative economy by working to connect creative professionals with local resources.
Click here for more on Creative Action and its Imagine Downtown contest.