Rebuild by Design uses collaborative, design-driven problem-solving to help communities and cities build resilience. Communities can overcome existing creative and regulatory barriers by cultivating collaboration between designers, researchers, community members, government officials and subject-matter experts. This collaboration remains at the heart of an iterative creative process to address the intersection of physical, social, and ecological resilience to drive lasting change. Rebuild begins by analyzing which individuals and organizations have the best expertise and pairs them with those who best understand the affected community’s challenges to develop projects that make regions stronger, more resilient places to live.

Once project experts have been identified, Rebuild uses site visits, community conversations, and on-the-ground research – including panel discussions, symposiums, and workshops – to help communities uncover and examine problems collectively. During this research phase, overlapping social and physical vulnerabilities and interdependencies are uncovered.

Once there is an understanding of the problem, a collaborative design process ensures the final outcome is informed, innovative, and implementable. Working with government and local stakeholders throughout the design stage ensures all projects are realistic and achievable, and have strong community support. Rebuild by Design works to leave communities with a better understanding, increased capacity, implementable projects, new relationships, and demonstrative examples of how a better process leads to a better outcome.