Architect Tom Low is trying to rally

Architect Tom Low is trying to rally support for an urban design center for the Charlotte region, modeled after Nashville’s Civic Design Center. The most critical design challenge for the region is influencing development taking place near the new beltway, I-485, says Low of Duany Plater Zyberk & Company. This highway began construction about seven years ago and will have 67 interchanges, he adds. “That could be 67 new towns or 67 sprawl zones,” says Low, who has met with leading architects, planners, developers, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions like University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Nashville’s design center has been effective in promoting high-quality design in Tennessee’s capital city. u