To further the discussion about the value of design I encourage everyone to attend the COD Design Conference in Seattle on June 24-26.
I am new to COD, and though I have been encouraged for years to go to one of the conferences, I went to my first one last year. I cannot say enough about these opportunities. The conference was well organized and I felt very welcome. To visit a collection of exceptional projects will recharge your batteries. The ideas one gets (or steals) from the projects, and one's colleagues, are worth the cost of the trip alone.
The Seattle conference itinerary looks great - I have always wanted to meet Peter Bohlin and Jim Olson and hear them talk about their work. It would be impossible to visit this collection of projects on your own - and - the added benefit of chatting with their architects is rare. To top it all off, at this conference we will get to have dinner with different architects in their clients' homes. This will be a great opportunity to think about, and discuss, what the value of design is, and what makes it exceptional.
Jim
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James Childress FAIA
Partner
Centerbrook Architects & Planners
Centerbrook CT
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