Designing for Community Workshop

Project Date: 1998-1999
Project Manager: Chris Beck
Client: Denali Designing for Community Committee
Location: Denali

"I don't like zoning, I don't like government, I don't like regulation, and I want to see fewer glaring signs along the highway, and better trails, and I don't want all the open space between our towns filled in with ugly buildings". --Local Resident at Fall 98 Denali Workshop

Views among most residents of the Denali Borough are quite common throughout Alaska, especially outside the state's bigger cities. People treasure what makes their home special, but are suspicious of government. Zoning is often a dirty word, and quick movement towards land use regulation will be summarily rejected.

In this context, in the fall of 1998, a group of Denali Borough businesses, agencies and residents helped organize a workshop to address the often low quality of development in settlements along the entry to Denali National Park. Businesses in particular were interested in finding ways to improve the appearance of the area, to improve "walkability", and to help increase visitor satisfaction and profits.

The Borough hired Chris Beck to help plan the workshop, make presentations, facilitate discussions, and if possible, to help the group draw useful conclusions. Over 100 people attended this three day event, called "Designing for Community." Discussions were lively, and people found themselves reaching a surprising degree of agreement. One major conclusion the community reached is that "communities that protect and improve their unique sense of place are rewarded with better quality of life and economic growth." Participants also identified elements that are key to the area's sense of place, and means other than regulation to improve the region's built environment.

After the workshop Chris Beck was hired to prepare a workbook capturing the main ideas from the workshop. This workbook, Designing for Community: How to Build Communities That are Great Places to Live, Work, and Visit (886 KB), has been widely distributed in Denali and around Alaska. The workbook stimulated further useful discussions, and influenced several projects in the Denali area, including the State's design of a major roadway.