Charles (Chuck) WolfeAuthor, keynote speaker and essayist on strategic best practices forrethinking cities, towns and urban places

Chuck provides a unique perspective about cities as both a long time writer and photographer about urbanism worldwide and as an attorney in Seattle, where he focuses on land use and environmental law and permitting.

In particular, his work involves the use of sustainable development techniques and innovative land use regulatory tools on behalf of both the private and public sectors.

He is also an Affiliate Associate Professor in the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington, where he teaches land use law at the graduate level.

He contributes regularly to several publications including: The Atlantic Cities, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, Grist, seattlepi.com, and Crosscut.com. He blogs at myurbanist.com. Chuck was recently profiled in The Atlantic here.

ABOUT CHUCK

A compelling voice in the urbanist conversation both local and global.

SAMPLE PRESENTATION TOPICS

The Dynamic Potential of Urbanism Without EffortTo create vibrant, sustainable cities we must first understand what happens naturally when people congregate in cities—the innate, unprompted interactions of people with each other and their surrounding environment. City dwellers invariably celebrate environments where they can coexist safely in a mutually supportive way. Chuck argues that the most interesting are those that occur spontaneously. Through vivid examples of successful urban land use, via his own illustrations and real-life examples both historic and current, Chuck will provide a compelling illustration of the importance of understanding context first before applying policies or initiatives.

Reclaiming the Urban Memory and Reading the Evolution of PlacesFrom streets to open space, and based on Chuck’s recent articles and photographs, explore the role of world precedent and human settlement practices in re-enabling today’s urban environments.

The Sit-able City and Other Popular MonikersLearn from narrative and photography about the premise of Chuck’s popular concept of the “sit-able city”, how it draws from past work on public life from Jan Gehl, William H. Whyte and others and how it complements the best urban qualities and measures of success.

Rethinking Land Use Law and Regulation in the New MillenniumAn illustrated primer on land use basics, policy and regulation about how we live and work in, and travel between, cities a decade into the new century. Helping Municipalities Navigate the Conversation Around Making Their Cities Great Learn from Chuck how to understand both the possibilities for, and potential hazards around, transforming cities, and the vital role of context in assessing examples and ideas. Then, from a land-use attorney’s perspective, Chuck will discuss the practical aspects of change and how to move successfully from concept to reality.

Mr. Wolfe is also available for custom-designed presentations, strategy sessions and related ideation.

HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT KEYNOTES AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:

October 17, 2013, Manchester, New HampshireKeynote Address, “Navigating Housing’s Future” (New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority Annual Economic and Housing Market Update)View POWERPOINT AND VIDEO

October 8, 2013, Seattle, WashingtonUrban Land Institute/Northwest District CouncilYoung Leaders’ Group Leadership Forum Speaker

June 19, 2013, Seattle, WashingtonKeynote Address, “Charles Wolfe: Urbanism Without Effort” (Town Hall Seattle, American Podium Series)View Seattle Channel VIDEO

July 26, 2013, Vancouver, British ColumbiaUrban Land Institute Young Leaders’ Group 2013 Cascadia Regional Conference, Panel Leader

April 15, 2013, Chicago, IllinoisAmerican Planning Association National Conference , Urban Design and Preservation Division Panelist

April 11, 2013, Detroit, MichiganProject For Public Spaces Placemaking Leadership Council, Featured Roundtable SpeakerView VIDEO

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT CHUCK AS A SPEAKER AND WRITER (URBANISM WITHOUT EFFORT)

“Mr. Wolfe helped me understand the intimate relationship between a city and the citizens that inhabit it. He stressed how observing these relationships should provide the basis for understanding good design and should inform governments about the development and use of land use regulations and architectural design and not the other way around. Most impactful was the way Mr. Wolfe was able to deliver this message by capturing amazing images of everyday city life from all parts of the globe!”--Benjamin D. Frost, Esq. , Director of Public Affairs, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority

“A plea for a renewed commitment to authentic urbanism and an invitation to learn from history as our cities enter a future of unprecedented change.”– Alex Steffen, writer, editor, public speaker and futurist

“This is a must read for those who want to understand in words and pictures what stands behind great cites. We’re proud to see a Seattle native son helping to show the way.”— Mike McGinn, Mayor of Seattle, and founding Executive Director, Seattle Great City Initiative

“One of Chuck Wolfe’s great gifts is an extraordinary photographer’s eye for capturing visual images of everyday, but evocative, city life. Another is an uncommonly strong intellectual grounding in urban planning theory. In Urbanism Without Effort, he combines the two in unique fashion to show us how unplanned places can often teach us more about great placemaking than planned ones.”— Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Natural Resources Defense Council

“Chuck’s work is what happens when art meets science in placemaking. His talent for capturing places being themselves is so important in the placemaker’s toolkit, yet can be missed if we are not paying attention. Lucky for us, Chuck is always paying attention and this book is the proof.”– Dr. Katherine Loflin, leading authority and national expert on creating next generation cities

“A picture is worth 1000 words, and this short book is a muli-volume treatise on the essence of urbanism. It is a ‘must read’ and a ‘must see’ view into what works as envisioned in both the keen mind and the sharp eye of one of the most astute observers of our generation.”— Dwight H. Merriam, partner at Robinson & Cole LLP, Past Chair, American Bar Association Section of State and Local Government Law, and Fellow/Past President of the American Institute of Certified Planners

CHECK OUT CHUCK IN THE NEWS HERE.

CONTACT

CHARLES R. WOLFE1420 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 2200SEATTLE WA, 98101-1346P: 206-274-5145E: cwolfe@crwolfelaw.comhttp://urbanismwithouteffort.com