Are You Even Listening?
Are architects deaf or are developers strong willed with their own personal agenda?
I think it's a mix of both - but only one of the two is getting better about the issue, and fortunately that is us. Just as many of my classmates have noted, the industry of architecture is headed towards democratization and community engagement. On many fronts, I feel like I have personally been able to watch this change within the industry. Architecture schools (especially Clemson's grad program) are becoming more and more socially conscious. Our CommunityBUILD certificate is literally a design-build program with emphasis on community. Our studio project this semester has brought us closer to the Lot Project and all that they stand for withing the community. And I feel in the professional world, more and more architecture firms values are focused on human centered design or community engagement.
This is all great news, let's just follow through and be the socially and culturally conscious architects that we are being taught to be.... and for Pete's sake, don't let those people with money have their way if it's the wrong thing for the community!
I think it's a mix of both - but only one of the two is getting better about the issue, and fortunately that is us. Just as many of my classmates have noted, the industry of architecture is headed towards democratization and community engagement. On many fronts, I feel like I have personally been able to watch this change within the industry. Architecture schools (especially Clemson's grad program) are becoming more and more socially conscious. Our CommunityBUILD certificate is literally a design-build program with emphasis on community. Our studio project this semester has brought us closer to the Lot Project and all that they stand for withing the community. And I feel in the professional world, more and more architecture firms values are focused on human centered design or community engagement.
This is all great news, let's just follow through and be the socially and culturally conscious architects that we are being taught to be.... and for Pete's sake, don't let those people with money have their way if it's the wrong thing for the community!
Taylor, I agree! After going through Clemson's grad program I now know how important it is to engage with the community during the design process. It is up to us to encourage our client, employer, and project managers to make time to listen to what the community has to say. I hope we can convince them, and luckily we have the DesignBuild program to serve as a great example!
ReplyDeleteHere here!!! It's one of the things I've been the most proud of: it should be about others. It isn't ours. The greatest buildings in history were built not for the stardom of the designer/architect, but for others--sometimes a single patron, other times for the people. Most of my favorite buildings are cathedrals, which aren't about the architect at all, but for the glory of the Christian god. I think it's encouraging that it's starting to drift back that way: remembering the community--and, perhaps more importantly, the USERS--and keeping it more selfless.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you're post, but I would hesitate to decry all developers as incapable of having ethical motives or producing humanitarian projects. Most affordable housing projects are developer driven and typically don't require much input from an architect, it is possible for them operate in a way where they can turn a profit without taking advantage of the community.
ReplyDeleteAnd its in the developers best interest to listen to the community and provide them what they need so that they maintain that reciprocal business relationship.
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