The 2009 winners transformed urban places, bringing beauty and vitality to underused or derelict sites, while addressing the needs of under-served populations. 

Urban Transformation: the 2009 Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence includes detailed case studies and lessons learned about the winning projects including:

  • Inner-City Arts in Los Angeles, California
    An arts education center improving the lives of at-risk children
  • The Community Chalkboard and Podium in Charlottesville, Virginia
    An interactive and accessible monument to free expression 
  • Hunts Point Riverside Park in Bronx, New York
    A waterfront park restoring an underserved neighborhood’s access to the river
  • Millennium Park in Chicago, Illinois
    A new civic park featuring world-class public art and performance venues
  • St. Joseph Rebuild Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
    A day shelter providing respite and services for the homeless

Lessons Learned themes include:

  • Transforming Derelict or Underused Sites
  • Project Impact: Effecting Urban Transformation
  • Vision, Process, and Partnership
  • Leadership
  • Architectural Quality
  • Transformation: New Models for Placemaking