With contentious development projects, we often don’t even hear the name, let alone the intentions, of the architect in media references to the project. I wish we would. We discuss denim, recipes, and TV shows with far more nuance than the buildings that make up our world. If we actually talked about design, I think it would foster a general sense of collective stewardship, as understanding anything can do.
When we look at a facade, and search the mind of who built it and why – we’re engaging with the material world, and our community directly. Brick by brick. Architecture should represent a human endeavor – a vision of a better world, at its best. We read about proposed real estate developments – regularly, and relentlessly in this valley. Let’s demand a bit more information than the courtesy image and discuss the architecture – and not just it’s opposition. For better and for worse, I want to understand this project and others like it.
