Workshops

We get people together to expose them to design ideas, talk through the issues, with hands-on exercises. We bring much-needed visual information into public conversations on thorny topics such as affordable housing and density so that communities can develop a shared vision of what might be, and develop a shared vision of what might be.

Sketching Montpelier waterfront

Winooski River flow

Urban riverfront

Resiliency presentation

Montpelier flood zone

Sample workshop: Upstream Downtown

Building Flood Resiliency in Vermont Downtowns

Terra Firma brought together citizens, state and local officials, and national experts to discuss how Vermont's river-based urban centers can thrive in a changing climate.

The workshop promoted the concept of "making room for the river," showcasing examples of designs that accommodate natural river function in vibrant urban waterfronts.

Past Workshops

Visualizing Density

Urban Land Institute

Minneapolis / St. Paul

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Boise, ID

Salt Lake City, UT

Portland, OR

Austin, TX

Cambridge, MA

Boston Society of Architects

Boston, MA

Mid-America Regional Council

Kansas City, MO

Arizona State University

Phoenix, AZ

Vermont Planners Association

Randolph, VT

Partnership for Strong Communities

Hartford, CT

Fairfield, CT

Orton Foundation

Burlington, VT

Site Planning

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Montpelier, VT

Smart Growth Vermont

Burlington, VT

Essex Village Trustees

Essex Jct., VT