Dialogue through Design: The East St. Louis Neighborhood Design Workshop and South End Neighborhood Plan

Abstract

This article reflects on cross-cultural learning in the context of the University of Illinois’ East St. Louis Neighborhood Design Workshop and its two-year engagement with the South End New Development Organization to develop a neighborhood plan. Initial descriptions of East St. Louis and the student body suggest the cultural and experiential hurdles to be overcome through engagement techniques. In light of service-learning and participatory design theory and methodology, the design studio provides an opportunity to advance cultural competence through a reflective, interactive design process. Acknowledging that cultural differences between students and residents was initially affecting the ability to produce a useful plan, the faculty revised the course to incorporate new approaches to design and discussion, including quick-paced scenario charrettes and development of alternative neighborhood visions. The ensuing discussions helped community members and students develop a clearer vision of what the residents wanted for their neighborhood’s future, which the students could then develop into a plan and related design proposals. The essay concludes with reflections on the meaning of cross-cultural dialogue for landscape architecture education and practice.