If we’re lucky, we have people who come into our lives in big and small ways that leave deep and lasting imprints on who we are and how we view the world. Ganesh Nayak, AIA was one such person for me. I will be forever grateful for the time we spent together on the COTE Climate Action–Climate Justice working group, which was the force behind Climate Justice in Architecture. To this effort, Ganesh brought a spirit of generosity, a clarity of purpose, and an infectious joy. He could see the big picture, recognizing that good design must not only be sustainable but also equitable and just.
Going into this, I thought I knew what terms like justice and equity meant, at least in the abstract. But my time with Ganesh—hearing his personal story—fundamentally changed how I understood those concepts in the context of design. He spoke so passionately about his specialneeds son, Ishan, whose elementary school experience was profoundly impacted by attending one particular school where a wide central ramp was the primary means of circulation for all students—both able-bodied and disabled. It was a central design feature, not an afterthought, hidden away, as is so often the case. As a consequence, his son was not unwittingly segregated but able to interact with the broader student body. Kids would now come up and talk to Ishan, which had not happened at his previous schools. That school may not have won prestigious awards, but its design made a big difference in the life of one student and his family, who felt seen and included.
The thing I love most about that story is how Ganesh would speak of inclusion as a two-way street. The ability of different kinds of people to interact with each other positively influences everyone involved. It was that same sense of optimism Ganesh brought to the topic of climate justice in architecture. He was driven by a vision for a world where everyone has what they need to thrive and “otherness” is something to be valued, not to be fixed. That vision lives on, as does Ganesh’s indelible impact on the architecture industry broadly.
Ganesh’s ability to clearly see what often goes unseen has left a lasting impact on me. He could see the goodness and potential in those around him. He could also see where the systems we often take for granted fail to serve those on the margins. He would say, “When we design for the margins, everyone benefits.”
The time I spent with Ganesh provided me with the ability to see more clearly, and for that, he has my gratitude.
Ellen Mitchell, AIA
Director of Sustainability & Applied Research
LPA