Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 02 September 5, 1996 - Bosnia charrette scheduled

A non-profit publication of the Office of the University Relations of Virginia Tech,
including The Conductor , a special section of the Spectrum printed 4 times a year

Bosnia charrette scheduled

By Julie Kane

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 02 - September 5, 1996

From September 13-15, students in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies will examine regional and urban issues and develop plans for the reconstruction and development of Bosnia. The vehicle for this exercise will be a charrette , a French word that conveys a sense of urgency and intensive effort needed to finish a work before an absolute deadline.

The results will contribute to the Bosnia Network, created through the vision of Jay Craig, a former urban designer for the city of Birmingham. The Bosnia Network has volunteer affiliates at a score of landscape-architecture and architecture schools throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Eventual plans are to develop a Global University for Building via the Internet. This would allow student designers anywhere in the world to merge their complementary talents on behalf of a common goal.

The charrette will consist of approximately six teams with seven members each. Represented on each team will be students from architecture, building construction, landscape architecture, and urban affairs and planning. On Monday, Sept. 9, teams will receive their assignments and listen to an overview of the problem. The main speaker will be Craig, who will give an overview of the problem. A recent network film, "Death of Nation," will also be shown. During the charrette , students will identify key regional and neighborhood issues and prepare sketch policies and plans.

On Sunday, each team presents its solution to judges, who later critique their work. There are plans to establish contact with Bosnia and maintain communication during the charrette .

The charrette will begin at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the Community Design Assistance Center in 108 Dietrick. For more information, contact Patrick Miller, head of landscape architecture, at 1-5506; e-mail address: pmiller@vt.edu/ .