The University of Arkansas Community Design Center was founded in 1995 as part of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. The center advances creative development in Arkansas through education, research, and design solutions that enhance the physical environment.
It has provided design and planning services to more than 50 communities and organizations across Arkansas, helping them to secure nearly $72 million in grant funding to enact suggested improvements. In addition to revitalizing historic downtowns, the center addresses new challenges in affordable housing, urban sprawl, environmental planning, and management of regional growth or decline.
Recent UACDC Projects
- New Beginnings Homeless Transition Village in Fayetteville
- Planning study for livability improvements at Willow Heights public housing complex
- Fort Smith Waterfront RV Park along the Poteau River
- Proposal for Hawaiian food hub complex that combines community-based food production with workforce housing, retail spaces and cultural tourism
- Transitional housing community for homeless individuals who lack sufficient wages and access to affordable housing
Along the way, the center’s professional staff members are nationally recognized for their expertise in urban and public-interest design, and their work has received more than 150 design and planning awards.
UACDC services are enhanced by collaborations with the U of A Resiliency Center, Department of Landscape Architecture, the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, the Center for Business and Economic Research in the Sam Walton College of Business, the Arkansas Forestry Commission, Audubon Arkansas, and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
