From the CEO
President and CEO Bill Roper discusses the importance of creative thinking and creative action—especially in the current economic crisis, when conventional approaches to land use planning are showing their age.
Scenarios E-Journal
Scenarios is the Foundation’s semi-annual e-journal presenting reports and reflections on innovation in place. Each issue targets a different theme and shares inspiring stories and models for action from the front lines of land use planning.
Current Issue
Spring 2009
Creative Solutions in Challenging Times
Patty Limerick documents the special legacy—and healing power—of preserved open space in Boulder, Colorado. John Carney takes us to Victor, Idaho, where substantial growth pressures are inspiring residents to take their future into their own hands. And Rebecca Sanborn Stone interviews Michael Rohd, founder of Sojourn Theatre, a company challenging conventional notions of place, civic engagement and belonging.
Contents
Speaking of Place
Patty Limerick writes about the healing powers of place in her essay about a mesa in Colorado and the role it played while she rebuilt her life in the years following the death of her husband.
On the Ground
John Carney, Director of Rocky Mountain Projects, writes about Victor, Idaho, the forces of change at work in this western border town, and how Heart & Soul Community Planning unfolds at 6,214 feet above sea level.
Innovator in Place
Rebecca Sanborn Stone interviews Michael Rohd, founding artistic director of Sojourn Theatre, a multi-ethnic performance ensemble based in Portland, Oregon that is committed to community engagement.
Tech Toolbox
Jill Kiedaisch takes a look at how Wordle has brought new meaning to the term play on words. Developed by a senior software engineer at IBM, Wordle is seeding “beautiful word clouds” all over the world.
What We're Reading
Rebecca Sanborn Stone reviews Nudge, by economist Richard Thaler and legal scholar Cass Sunstein—a creative look at how thoughtful “choice architecture” can encourage us to make better decisions without obstructing our freedom of choice.
Featured Website
Think data analysis is for dorks? Think again. A new website, Many Eyes, aims to mesmerize you and thousands of other average citizens with scatter plots and word trees—and it works!