Academy of Architecture for Justice

At the AIA National Convention earlier this month, members of the Sustainable Justice Subcommittee of the AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice presented a seminar called Sustainable Justice:  Designing a Green System.  The presentation was a report on a brainstorm by architects and justice planners at the 2009 AAJ Conference – one each for law enforcement, detention/corrections, and courthouses – in which participants were asked to imagine it was 2030 and all of our sustainability goals were achieved and then offer ideas as to what the justice world would look like in that ideal future.  The result was ideas that not only addressed green building concepts but also addressed the bigger picture of the role of justice in communities and in society and how in this ideal future that role could change, leading to a change in operations and, ultimately, to a change in facility requirements. 

One point that resonated throughout the presentation was the suggestion of a paradigm shift from the standard question of "how big should the facility be?" to a more sustainable question of "how small can it be?"  This idea created a challenge for the seminar participants: if we are committed to sustainability, then how do we as architects influence good decisions by our clients that support sustainable buildings and systems.  Often we find that the justice operators - policemen, correctional officers, etc. - are focussed on getting what they need operationally, vying with other departments for limited construction funds, and maneuvering the political system to achieve a project.  How can architects lead the way to help them question their own beliefs as to how much space they need and being willing to find new solutions - operational as well as functional - that allow for a smaller footprint.  Is it possible that by being green, that operators can be more in step with the political influences in their community which might help their case in achieving project funding? 

These are just some thoughts that were bandied about following the presentaion, and I think this will be fodder for more thinking together by architects and operators.  In one of James P. Cramer's books, he talked about the power of architects.  It's not our money, it's not our project, it's not our site.  So what is our power?  It's the power to influence.  Our power to influence is where we need to continue to develop ourselves.