Join us in this 4-part series to explore how architects—working at every scale, from grassroots movements to global collaborations—can catalyze meaningful community transformation. The series is intended for civic leaders, architects, and other design professionals looking to make a difference in their community.
“We are the last generation that can prevent irreparable damage to our planet,” noted United Nations General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garcés in 2019. Today’s climate crisis means our cities and towns serve as more than simply the hubs of economic and cultural vitality. In an era of climate change, our communities represent the central organizing mechanisms for the survival of humankind. This reality positions communities at the heart of our solutions to all the world’s most pressing issues, from the affordability crisis to a climate-friendly future.
However, at the time we urgently need effective decision-making, a democratic crisis is contributing to political paralysis, controversy and loss of public trust in institutions the world over. Professionals must adopt a new democratic orientation that empower citizens to codesign solutions. We can’t afford to sit on the sidelines now. The stakes are too high. It’s time to recommit ourselves to public service, jump start the democratic process, honor the citizen architect tradition and galvanize the next wave of design leadership in our communities.
The sessions in this series will explore dramatic stories of architect-led community change and their lessons today, as well as comparative models and approaches to design leadership that mobilizes engaged architects for community transformations.
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This series is hosted by Communities by Design.Through decades of work in hundreds of communities with tens of thousands of volunteers and citizens, CxD Design Assistance Teams have proven that communities are at the heart of solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Donate today to support this work.
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Paola Capo
The American Institute of Architects
Washington DC
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