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YLNI Presents Urban Design Lecture and Panel Discussion

Fort Wayne, IN - Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana welcomes Professor Philip Bess to Fort Wayne for a lecture and panel discussion about urban design and sustainable development. The event, which is open to the public, will take place at 6:00PM on April 16th in the auditorium of the downtown branch of the Allen County Public Library.

Professor Bess is an expert in neighborhood ballpark design and his expertise will provide meaningful and actionable input as Fort Wayne works towards ensuring compatible and appropriate development around Harrison Square and the downtown area. What types of uses are compatible? What makes for quality development that is both intelligent and sustainable? Professor Bess’ knowledge will help the citizens of Fort Wayne determine for themselves what is needed to accomplish a walkable, livable, and dynamic downtown.

Professor Bess is the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture. He teaches graduate urban design and theory, and continues his professional work as a design consultant for municipalities, architects and community development corporations working through the office of Thursday Associates. From 1987-88 he was the director and principal designer of the Urban Baseball Park Design Project of the Society for American Baseball Research; and in Boston in August 2000 he directed and coordinated the ultimately successful “Save Fenway Park!” design charrette. Prof. Bess is the author of City Baseball Magic: Plain Talk and Uncommon Sense About Cities and Baseball Parks (1989), Inland Architecture: Subterranean Essays on Moral Order and Formal Order in Chicago (2000), and most recently Till We Have Built Jerusalem: Architecture, Urbanism, and the Sacred (2007). Prof. Bess holds an M.Arch from the University of Virginia (1981), a Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) from the Harvard Divinity School (1976), and a B.A. from Whittier College (1973).

Following the lecture, a Q&A panel will form and field questions from the attendees. Joining Professor Bess on the panel discussion portion of the event will be the founding members of multi-discipline design firm Studio Three (www.thestudiothree.com): Joseph Blalock (ASLA, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning, Founder of Blalock Design Studio), Lohren Deeg (ASAI, Instructor of Architecture at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning, Founder of Lohren Deeg Design and Illustration, and Assistant Director of Community Based Projects), and Brian Hollars (AIA, Instructor of Architecture at Ball State University’s College of Architecture and Planning, Founder of handHEWN Design and Construction). Questions for the panel can be submitted that evening or prior the event by emailing downtown@ylni.org.

The event is hosted by Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana’s Downtown Development Committee and is sponsored by the Downtown Improvement District, Invent Tomorrow, Notre Dame Club of Fort Wayne, AIA Fort Wayne, Ottenweller Co. Inc., Hylant Group, and CB Richard Ellis/Sturges.

Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana (YLNI) is a dynamic group that is connected to the community and committed to making it a vibrant and viable place to live, work and play. The mission is to engage and empower our young leaders through community, professional and social opportunities.