CNU26.Savannah 'Design Lessons of Savannah's Squares'

Brown Design Studio was heavily involved in CNU26, offering local insight to attendees as a representative of the local host committee, guiding tours through the historic squares and picturesque downtown streets we love so much, providing local recommendations to visitors, and welcoming colleagues, clients, and friends, alongside new faces, to our city. Being part of the group that lives, breathes, and works in this almost 300-year old city permitted us an insider's perspective on the history of the carefully woven pattern of streets, squares, and neighborhoods that contribute to Savannah's thoughtfully planned infrastructure.

Eric Brown of Brown Design and co-chair of CNU Savannah has worked in the lowcountry, including Beaufort, South Carolina, for 20 years, with the last 5 of those years specifically in downtown Savannah, Georgia. Eric's innate knowledge of the building and planning characteristics and techniques found here make him a professional source on the subject and a qualified session leader for the CNU26 202 Workshop: Design Lessons of Savannah's Squares.

Alongside a group of talented local architects, historians, and planners, the session involved an in-depth lesson, detailing the fundamentals of great public spaces within an urban context, using Savannah as the focal case study. The three hour workshop began with guided instruction on Savannah-specific history and design, followed by an "in the field" walking tour throughout the squares and surrounding streets, and finished with a hands-on sketching exercise.

Eric's lesson portion focused on square characteristics, including terminated street views, outdoor "rooms", and a defined pedestrian path continuing from the surrounding streets. History and observations of Johnson Square and Washington Square highlighted the importance of proportion/scale, external context, and design details that influence human traffic and activity. Scroll down to view Eric's complete presentation, a deep dive into the design lessons we can take from Savannah's Squares.