COLAB Syracuse University : Programs

	COLAB collaborates with many organizations and business creating models of collaboration between all disciplines. Students are placed in teams most of them from different backgrounds and majors. COLAB sponsors charrettes — short but intensive projects using design thinking to develop innovative solutions. Our charrettes bring together students from many different majors from multiple institutions to work together on a shared problem.

	REVITALIZING JEFFERSON ROW CHARRETTE [November, 2008] Over the weekend of November 15 & 16, COLAB, together with the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, held an interdisciplinary student design “charrette” --- a competition-style marathon of creative work by teams of students from a variety of disciplines and schools. The Chamber of Commerce was seeking ideas and strategies for the revitalization of an area of downtown between Armory Square and the Civic strip that includes the Civic Center and the Oncenter, especially along Jefferson and Warren streets. After introductory talks from area experts and charrette sponsors on Thursday and Friday nights, students formed interdisciplinary teams and worked virtually around the clock through the weekend to come up with ideas and visions that could have real impact and lasting value for our community. The results, evaluated by Chamber sponsors and unveiled at the COLAB opening a few days later, entailed six impressive proposals that each offered important ideas for the Chamber to consider as it goes forward with the project in the year ahead. A number of the student charrette participants have volunteered to be involved further in the project as the Chamber works to make it a reality in coming months and years.

	REVITALIZING JEFFERSON ROW CHARRETTE [November, 2008], STUDENT INTERVIEWS A compilation of interviews with select students from the Fall 2008 SU COLAB charrette event.