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- Five Core Values
- Inclusivity: To make the effort to include all those who may be involved or affected
- Sensitivity: To operate with empathy, considering the context, and potential impact of a completed work, both in the short and long term
- Flexibility: To engage with real problems knowing that problems can often be variable and changing, thus requiring an ability to adapt to the particularities of a given issue over time
- Reaching: To know when we need to reach out to those who may have expertise outside of our own, and to be humble enough to ask for insight for the benefit of the project and those whom we work for
- Experimental: To allow ourselves to test, and to push convention, never settling for easy solutions, but to allow the design process to push back, and enable the process to be self-reflective and self-critical.
- Town Hall + Interactive Workshop
- One of the topics I’d previously expressed interest in was post disaster relief, and more specifically, how we are able to engage disaster situations successfully. I’m not sure that there is any formalized mechanism (or format) whereby support and relief agencies engage with those who may be in need of aid in post disaster scenarios. What I do imagine is that often times, decisions are made for the communities, without their insight or input. How do we successfully support communities that may be in need, while fostering a positive healing process? How do we enable communities to continue forward with dignity and autonomy? I really appreciate hearing about the breast pump hackathon, in particular how the project learned and adapted after its first event, to create a more inclusive and diversified second hackathon event
- I want to consider a scenario in which hazard mitigation strategies, as well as post disaster aid strategies are negotiated by both the communities and the experts who help enable relief efforts. I think both the preparation (preventive) and rebuilding phases can be informed by collaborative synergies.
- Community engaged design is becoming more relevant in architecture projects, especially when projects begin to operate at a larger urban scale. BIG’s project for the ‘Dryline’ a system of public park infrastructure that doubles as a biological buffer against sea level rise, was in part designed with the community through hands-on workshops.
- I’d also like to reference a project by Chilean architecture firm, ELEMENTAL, who led the redesign of the city of Concepcion, while working closely with the communities, through town halls type discussions and continuous conversation with the community during the design process. In addressing the rebuilding after a devastating tsunami, this collaborative approach, allowed for the redesign and reconstruction to better serve the community. Their team work allowed for the strategic redesign of the city to allow for equal access to public spaces, increasing the overall quantity of parks and squares, while designing in such a way that created better buffers for city against future hazards. This tragedy was able to be used as an opportunity to redesign the city that the inhabitants preferred.
- I can imagine a system in which a workshop format, coupled with a design review+ critique can allow community members to collaborate with experts and professionals, and facilitate a larger dialogue about how to address both preparedness and post disaster reconstruction. In both art and design education, the critique serves as the mechanism whereby the designer is able to present his work to a jury, and receive constructive feedback about a proposal. Similarly, it could be productive to imagine a scenario in which aid groups explain real life strategies that are then critiqued by a community to be able to develop a more collaborative, thoughtful solution that is specific to the needs of the community, while similarly community members can offer suggestions that can then be critiqued and informed by the specific expertise of outside international aid organizations.
- A big challenge in many disaster mitigation and post disaster relief is the dissemination of information. With events that bring much more of the community into the planning of the systems at play, it would be much easier to spread knowledge that can help save lives, as lessen the impact of disaster events. This open format dialogue would also help to increase transparency and allow for communities to develop greater trust with government agencies and hazard expert.
- Some of the goals of the exercise would be to better prepare, and inform communities that are at risk, while also helping outside agencies and experts to operate with greater sensitivity and consideration for the people who may need their help.