Charrette & Capstone: City of Kanab

Capstone Studios and Charrettes are features of our program intended to accomplish two broad objectives. First and foremost, the Capstone acts as a bridge to practice, providing seniors with self-initiated leadership opportunities to lead and manage a large planning and design project connected with a sponsor/client. The second objective is to connect the entire department, all classes and faculty, in a week-long collaborative charrette effort. This builds studio culture and opens relationships among the studio body.

This year the opportunity to return to Kanab, Utah presented itself with Professors Carlos Licon, Todd Johnson and Jake Powell directing the effort. Jake Powell’s experiences in Kanab and his LAEP Extension focus afforded us the opportunity to work with leaders of the City under the direct sponsorship of the Center for Education, Business and the Arts. The Charrette was heartily supported by Executive Director Kelly Stowell. There were six teams with specific focus including the “Necklace Team” seeking to tie together the geographies and content.

The Core Team explored the need for a vital and walkable downtown, making Highway 89 its main target. The Residential Team looked at the need for affordable forms of housing in three locations. The Coral Cliffs team investigated conservation easements and creating small amounts of development in order to preserve scenery. The Jackson Flats Reservoir team used the wildlife acumen of Professor Emeritus Craig Johnson to establish strong awareness of habitat and natural systems to guide the facilitation of recreation activities. The Necklace Team offered its own string of parks and ties each of the other team’s efforts into an Olmstedian vision for Kanab.