Charrettes are often misunderstood, so let’s clear the air by tackling some of the most common myths about what a charrette is—and what it is not.
“A charrette is just another public meeting.”
Unlike a typical meeting, a charrette is a two-day, hands-on workshop where design professionals and community members engage in a dialogue addressing a specific area, unique to each community. Charrettes help build trust within the community by creating an open, collaborative space where residents, business owners, and leaders feel heard and valued in shaping a vision of their community’s future. This inclusive process helps local officials gain stakeholder buy-in, making it easier to move forward with recommendations that reflect a shared vision. It’s interactive, collaborative, and produces real, tangible recommendations that go beyond just discussion.
“It’s only about architecture and design.”
While buildings and streetscapes may be part of the conversation, charrettes are holistic. They consider housing, transportation, economic vitality, environmental impact, and social well-being while focusing on creating healthy, vibrant communities. Community stakeholders are encouraged to actively join the conversation about their community’s future, ensuring that diverse voices help shape shared goals, rooted in their community.
“The experts come in and tell us what to do.”
In fact, the community leads the way. It’s a collaborative exchange where volunteer professionals listen first, learning directly from residents, business owners, and local leaders about what matters most to that community. The design team’s expertise is then applied to interpret and organize ideas to amplify the community’s input, translating ideas and challenges into actionable recommendations. The charrette is driven by the community’s voice, with the professionals acting as facilitators and guides rather than decision-makers.
"The recommendations are set in stone."
While a charrette produces a set of recommendations, these are not final plans or mandates. The recommendations are ideas, possibilities, and starting points for a community conversation. The recommendations reflect what the team has heard and observed from those who have participated, but it’s up to the community to adapt, refine, and prioritize them over time. In this way, the charrette serves as a springboard for action, giving local leaders and residents a flexible roadmap they can shape to fit changing needs, resources, and opportunities. The final report is a resource for the community to use, adapt, and build upon. It’s the spark in the start of a conversation, not the final word.
"They're too expensive for small towns."
Thanks to Plan NH’s model, charrettes are cost-effective and accessible. Communities contribute a modest fee, while the majority of the expertise and time come from volunteers who donate their skills because they care about New Hampshire’s future. A Plan NH charrette delivers professional insights and actionable recommendations at a fraction of the cost of a traditional planning study.
If your community is interested in learning more about how Plan NH can support you through a design charrette, please visit our Charrettes page to review the application and send in an inquiry.