Jim Plummer
Laurentian Vision Partnership Coordinator
218.254.7967 Ext. 262
FAX: 218.254.7973
jim.plummer@state.mn.us

Practice in Action

The Laurentian Vision Partnership has held a series of design charrettes - intensive, carefully structured participatory workshops.  Working together to quickly generate design solutions for a site or problem, participants draw maps, plans and other illustrations to describe ideas to the community.  A charrette is both a process and a product.  It illustrates opportunities and establishes an effective way to begin more detailed community planning and design work.

The Laurentian Vision Partnership uses design charrettes to
  • Illustrate how earth moving practices can create productive, future land and water areas
  • Allow mining companies and local decision makers to see and review how new land designs affect operations and the existing built environment
  • Help people visualize possibilities and expand their thinking
  • Engage and energize stakeholders

Executive summaries of the charrettes held by the Laurentian Vision Partnership are available to download in PDF format (see links below).

1st charrette
EVTAC Mining (now United Taconite) and the City of Virginia hosted the initial Laurentian Vision charrette in 2001.  Download PDF

2nd charrette
The second charrette was hosted in 2003 by Hibbing Taconite, MinnTac and the cities of Hibbing, Chisholm, Kinney and Balkan Township.   Download PDF

3rd charette
In April 2007, ArcelorMittal Steel and the City of Biwabik hosted the third charrette. Download PDF