The City of Charlotte Urban Design Center and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte School of Architecture presented the city’s third annual Urban Design Awards, also known as the Urbies. The awards were presented on Thursday in a ceremony dedicated to showcasing excellent urban design.
The awards program aims to recognize and celebrate quality urban design in Charlotte while encouraging continued community discussion around what makes for unique and great places.
Deb Ryan: Urban Design is the
most immersive and largest art Form there is. And it ranges in
scale from the design of a bus Shelter to the grid of a city
street. It includes things like Urban open space, creating
public parks for people, and Also the design of the steps
along the park that lead into The homes that surround it. Erin Chantry: The Urban Design
Center strives to bring public Awareness to the power of urban
design. It is so important to Make time to celebrate community
members and design professionals Who put time and heart into
making Charlotte the Queen City. The Urban Design Awards are
about recognizing the results of Hard work and creativity that
has been invested into our Beautiful city. Mary Newsom: What I call 'The
Urbies' began in the mid 1990s. I was working as a columnist for
the editorial page of the Charlotte Observer. And I was
also looking around the city Learning about urban design and
about cities and urbanism. Erin Chantry: Urban Design is
all around us from your favorite Walk along tree lined streets to
an elegant bench at your local Park. The Urbies aim to
celebrate and cultivate the Culture of urban design in
Charlotte. Thanks are owed to Every group of designers,
planners, advocates, and Residents who breathe life into
that culture with their passion And tenacity. And who pour their
hearts into making Charlotte a Better, more beautiful place for
all of us. Narrator: The 2023 award
winners… Great development near transit:
Lintmen's Great walkable neighborhood:
Dilworth Great new life for an old place:
Community Matters Cafe Great public space: Freedom Park Great placemaking: Charlotte
Shout! Great street: Elizabeth Avenue Great urban architecture: Latta
Arcade and Brevard Court Great suburban design: Waverly
Great student project: Bowplex
Park Vision Pan People's Choice Award: The Line Great neighborhood champions:
Ruth Ava Lyons and Paul Sires. Great urban design champion:
Mary Newsom Mayor Vi Lyles: Hello, I'm Mayor
Vi Lyles. The annual urban Design awards, or Urbies,
celebrate excellent urban Design, and the special places
that make Charlotte the Queen City. The best urban design,
expresses community values and Fosters a deep sense of place.
Good urban design is found in Those places we want to return
to again and again. Sometimes Those places surprise and
delight us. And they can also be Places where we feel comfortable
and want to stay to be a part of Charlotte life. Deb Ryan: And what I'm excited
about is that the conversations We had as the jury are going to
find their way into the public Realm so that more people can
understand what the qualities Are we value in terms of
creating a great livable city. Alyson Craig: Each year the
community becomes more and more Engaged in the discussion around
great places. In this third Installment of the Urbies, we
received more nominations than Ever before, which is a
testament to the design Excellence that surrounds us in
the Queen City. The planning Department is building a culture
of great urban design in Charlotte that reflects the
connections between people and Place. Next year we'll be
looking forward to seeing what New treasures you have
discovered. Continue to Appreciate your favorite
neighborhoods, buildings, Projects, and people and see
which new ones emerge as our City grows. I can't wait to see
what gets honored at the 2024 Urbies. See you next year. Narrator: The Charlotte Urban
Design Awards are sponsored by The City of Charlotte, Charlotte
Urban Design Center, and the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte School of Architecture.
Things to Do in Charlotte, NC
Events, Life, Sports, Weather, News
From heated sporting rivalries to chart-topping music and colorful city celebrations, there’s always something fun to do in Charlotte. As one of the largest cities in North Carolina, this city maintains a small-town feel with welcoming residents and a strong sense of community.
In addition to hosting a variety of popular events, Charlotte has a wide range of indoor attractions such as Discovery Place Science with its hands-on interactive museum and IMAX Dome Theatre, as well as museums like the Mint Museum Randolph where visitors can see the first art collection in Charlotte, or the Mint Museum Uptown featuring contemporary and modern works of art. Theater lovers can find a home in the historic Latta Arcade or at the Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts, while shopping enthusiasts can visit the renowned SouthPark Mall featuring high-end brands such as Nordstrom’s and Macy’s.
Sports fans can catch their favorite teams in action at the Charlotte Motor Speedway or the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The city also plays host to the Circle K Speed Street 600 festival each May and the wildly popular Holidays at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden which features over a million lights, live performances, and other seasonal activities from November through December.
Charlotte has a thriving economy with significant employment opportunities in the banking, energy and technology sectors. Several major corporations have headquarters in the city including AT&T, Bank of America, Lowe’s and Novant Health.