Ward Joyce Design

Ward Joyce is a design/build architect and professor with a goal of introducing communities to the exciting new urban design process called "Tactical Urbanism", where low-cost and super quick urban renewal projects are done by citizens offen without governmental sanctioning. There are many very exciting examples around the country where people took it into their own hands to make quick and impressive changes to their environments. They often have lasting impacts well beyond their limited scopes.

These projects generate community engagement and demonstrate how under-utilitized parking lots, overly wide streets, empty storefronts, alleys, etc can be transformed into public spaces at very low cost. These Pop-Up spaces help communities see that urban design can come from the bottom up, not just the top down.

In the case of Montpelier, the City lived with an ugly vacant lot for 13 years, until Ward Joyce approached the owners with a plan to transform it into a public space. The land owners agreed to provide the land for free, and he raised funds locally, coordinated the design, permitting and development, and then donated the completed Pocket Park project to the City. He transformed a decrepit lot into a beautiful and dynamic community asset, with the assistance of students and commnity members

Every community has ugly and under-developed spots that lend themselves to transformation - but an external spark may be needed to ignite the process. This type of project is hard to envision without examples and guidance from folks who have done them. They take creativity and tenacity, and the process should be facilitated by a designer. 

This is the work that architect Ward Joyce presents with passion and discusses in the context of different communities or schools. His presentation, called "Tactical Urbanism in your Community", may inspire you to take action and help redesign your community.