RURAL DESIGN

CIRD is driven by the idea that design can be a powerful tool for rural communities to build upon existing assets and improve quality of life, economic vitality, and experience of place. We also believe that communities know their own needs best, and that the best ideas can come from community members and organizations. CIRD's approach to rural design combines community-driven aspirations with the technical and design skills necessary to move from idea to reality... Established in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts as Your Town: the Citizens' Institute on Rural Design™, CIRD has supported more than 100 communities in all regions of the country, empowering residents to leverage local assets for the future in order to make better places to live, work, and play. CIRD was founded as a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the State University of New York (SUNY) at Syracuse. From 2012 to 2018, CIRD was managed in..