Urbanism: Working with, not above.

Architects often try to assume the role of a god. Upon being given a project to design, a parcel of land to develop or a problem to solve, the next “architectural” step usually involves coming up with a “master plan” to address every issues thereby “fixing” all the problems. In reality, no architect or architecture firm can achieve this type of success. As Lefebvre puts it, the architect is no miracle worker (151). Rather, success at an urban scale requires integrating everyone involved, from the architect all the way down to those living on the street. Each voice should have a role in defining and shaping the urban environment. Practically, some voices may speak louder and with more influence than others; however, a careful blend of ideas and input from all parties involved in the making of an urban context will result in the most successful outcome.