redefining affordable housing
through architecture & design
education and awareness
As a strong advocate for competent and socially responsible building practices, CDS is committed to expanding public awareness and support for housing programs through education, non-political advocacy and assisting residents and neighborhoods to participate in the community design process. CDS partners with universities and other community design centers to advance awareness and knowledge of green building practices and sustainable architectural design.
CDS has a particularly strong relationship with the Virginia Tech Architecture + Design College in Blacksburg, Virginia, where CDS staff are regularly invited by professors to participate in various classes on Building Systems, Sustainable Design, Community Seminars, Landscape Architecture, and Professional Practice. CDS team members also frequently attend student presentations and provide professional feedback.
intern development program
The Intern Development Program (IDP) is a comprehensive training program created to ensure that interns in the architecture profession gain the knowledge and skills required for the independent practice of architecture. Community Design Studio structures our time-tracking system around the requirements of IDP, and supervises each intern to help catalog the required training. CDS stays abreast of the changing certification, examination, and registration requirements in order to make sure our interns' transition to licensure is a smooth one. We strive to provide reasonable opportunities for our interns to gain experience in each IDP training area, regularly assess the quality of our interns' work, and periodically certify our interns' experience reports.
homeowner's manual
In 2006, CDS worked with Dr. Annie Pearce of the Virginia Tech Construction Science Department to compile a homeowner's manual for the Roanoke-Lee Street Duplexes. Dr. Pearce and her students interviewed the members of CDS and the CHP Construction division to compile an online database of reference materials to aid each owner keep their new home in great shape. (Click here to view the Roanoke-Lee Street Homeowner's Guide to Green).
Since that time, CDS has made it standard practice to create customized manuals for CHP-designed homes, as well as a resident's manual for CHP-owned or managed multifamily properties. (Click here to view an example of a Homeowner's Guide to Green, or here to view an example of a Multifamily Resident Guide to Green).
