Detailed Agenda

The Central Valley in California is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the country, and it is a landscape that has been profoundly altered. Groundwater resources have been depleted through over-extraction and long periods of drought and have reached a critical phase. This is a Master’s Capstone project that presents a land use plan for a rural city in the Valley that addresses California’s sustainability goals, using GIS analysis and data storytelling techniques to communicate resiliency solutions to stakeholders. 

In Garissa County, water scarcity poses a significant challenge to sustainable development. This presentation unveils a groundbreaking GIS-based approach for water resource management, addressing the pressing needs of this arid region. By integrating spatial analysis, our methodology identifies potential water conservation areas and optimizes resource allocation. This innovative application of GIS technology not only enhances water availability but also promotes ecological balance, community participation, socio-economic growth, and sustainable resource planning. 

Learn how Timmons Group helped Caltrans modernize and standardize their inventory and inspection process for culverts and related drainage assets throughout the state.

Due to rapid urban development, many soils have been sealed with pavements, making almost 70% of US cities' land impervious. This leads to extreme urban heat and flooding, significantly impacting health. Decisions about streets, sidewalks, and roofs are vital for sustainable development, tied to surface reflectivity and permeability. The lack of city-wide surface characteristics data hinders evaluating related health and environmental equity benefits. This study employs remote sensing imagery classification to evaluate urban heat impact on social equity, relative to dark surfaces.

Rapid urbanization presents unique challenges for Ethiopian urban planning. This research introduces a groundbreaking Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and geodesign principles to foster sustainable and resilient communities. Integrating diverse data, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative methodologies, the SDSS facilitates evidence-based decision-making. This research contributes to the global geodesign discourse by offering a practical solution for Ethiopia, emphasizing data-driven and community-involved decision-making.

Since Carl Steinitz’s geodesign lectures and workshops at the University of Minnesota in 2017 and 2018, the Minnesota Design Design Center has been using geodesign at a number of scales in a half dozen locations throughout the state of Minnesota.  Tim Griffin and Jonee Kulman Brigham lead D4CR, one geodesign variation that has been evolving since 2018. Tim’s PhD dissertation focuses on more geodesign variations and user experiences. Our talk presents a framework to compare these variations and suggests a possible Post Geodesign Evaluation (PGE) approach.

Inspired by the 50th anniversary of “Temporary Paradise?” and 2024 San Diego Tijuana World Design Capital (WDC) designation, a group of scholars from both sides of the border collaborated to create likely one of the first binational geodesign collaborations.This session will talk about the experiences working on this collaboration as part of the WDC Planning and Placemaking Design Action Network Team, disussing the successes as well as the challenges.