Restored City

South Bend, Indiana

1996

This is a design by Charles Beck with a team of students at the University of Notre Dame. The design was presented to the mayor and city planner of South Bend and it continues to inspire restoration in the city today.

The plan restores several urban neighborhoods by giving each its own central square with civic buildings upon them. Networks of mixed-use and residential streets are established, supporting the central squares and establishing walk-able neighborhoods. The architecture is based upon traditional principles of design and is human-scaled, permanent and rooted in historical precedent.