Questions to Challenge the Traditional

 The idea that architecture should serve the community seems like a no brainer. I think most of us consider community is one of the most important groups we design for, but as John Habraken would say “we come from a tradition of monument builders” until more recently. Habraken's "Questions that Won't Go Away" challenge traditional ideas about architecture and design. He asks who designs the design, who decides on the program, and who makes the decisions, emphasizing the importance of user needs, community involvement, and collaboration in the design process. Habraken challenges the traditional idea that architects and planners know best when it comes to designing the built environment. When we do this, the public changes its environment to work better for them or the building is marked as a failure. An interesting example of this are modern homes that were purposely designed for  people to live clean, simple, and uncomplicated. The simple spaces they built let the inhabitants have freedom to change and add on to spaces to make them fit their needs. By emphasizing the importance of community involvement, collaboration, and user needs, Habraken's questions continue to inspire architects and designers to think critically about their role in shaping the built environment.