Lansing, MI – Environmental graphic designer Jeff Corbin and Jack Williamson, executive director of Design Michigan, explored the juncture of urban development and design during a statewide conference on revitalizing Michigan’s cities.

The Dec. 11 conference, spearheaded by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, sought to encourage the growth of “cool cities”—hip, urban environments that attract and keep younger workers. Titled “Creating Cool: Linking Culture, Community and the Economy,” the conference featured Dr. Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class and How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life.

During the conference’s morning sessions on “Creative Approaches to Economic Development,” Corbin and Williamson described ways of “Designing the Creative Downtown” (download a PDF version of the presentation here). They showcased several of the more than 40 cities that have taken part in Design Michigan’s Community Design Advisory Program, which offers free urban design and merchandising design services to Michigan communities. The program, based on a national award-winning model, uses effective design to foster a shared vision, public/private collaboration, and improved market image and customer capture.

In the afternoon, with its focus on “Resources and Strategies for Building Creative Communities” Corbin and Williamson shared a design inventory tool for diagnosing and prioritizing downtown economic development needs and opportunities. The presentation was entitled “Design Tools for Improving Downtown Economic Performance” (download a PDF version of the presentation here). Leanne Stites, executive director of Lansing’s Principal Shopping District, described how the tool has benefited her 64-block business district and its approximately 1,000 businesses.

As the founder of Corbin, a 22-person environmental graphic design firm based in Traverse City, Jeff Corbin is working to improve wayfinding and navigation for downtowns and cities nationwide. In the process, he’s helping to create friendlier, more inviting public spaces for client cities including Atlanta, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City. In Michigan, Jeff Corbin and his firm are working or have worked with the cities of Frankenmuth, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Petoskey, Royal Oak and Sault Ste. Marie.

Since 1978, Jack Williamson has been executive director of Design Michigan, a non-profit, statewide outreach program that provides information and technical assistance on the design professions to Michigan communities, institutions and businesses. He has also served as a professor of design studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Art & Design, and taught the first design management courses in the MBA Program at the university’s School of Business Administration.

The “Creating Cool” conference was hosted by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services (CIS) and the governor’s office.

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