As the AIA COTE framework states, “Sustainability is inextricably tied to the wellness of communities.” Understanding how all members of the community are impacted by the design of both public and private buildings is key to the long-term success of the health of any size community of people. Design is greatly enhanced by hearing and understanding all perspectives which then helps to create equitable and healthy design solutions for the public. This lecture will focus on the process of listening, engaging and understanding the issues to create socially equitable design solutions.

This lecture will examine what makes a good urban building and how can architecture contribute to the success of our cities? Further, how does the design of our streets, public paths, parks and public spaces influence the health of our cities and community? The focus will be on how our architectural design process can respond to urban design principles to make for a more vibrant, accessible and just community.