2020 will undoubtedly be one these years seared in the global collective consciousness. For one thing, it has put the livability of our environments (and of those we live with) to the ultimate test. Generally speaking, livability (or lovability as I wish it were called) is about “the quality of life in any human living environment.”¹

On my last visit to Havana, I went to the Fine Arts Museum to learn more about Cuban Art. In the lobby, I was greeted by an art installation that simply stated: It's now or never (Ahora or Nunca) in colored lights. I stared for a while. I took it as both an indictment for not doing enough (about an absurdly long list of things) and also as a gentle reminder to act and do what I can. What was I waiting for?

On a trip to New York, I visited the 9/11 memorial at One World Trade Center. I thought a lot about the relationship between war, peace, and architecture. After all, 9/11 and mass shootings are the only first-hand experiences I have had with war. In Normandy, France, where I grew up, the scars left by the first two world wars are omnipresent and most notable in the urban landscape. 

1 in 9 Americans were affected by food insecurity in 2018. That's 37 million people, including 11 million children who (according to the USDA's definition of food insecurity) do not have consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life. Globally, 1 in 4 people – 1.9 billion – are moderately or severely food insecure.

April. Earth day is on the 22 (and marks 50 years). Climate change is a very tangible issue. Every professional organization in the architecture and design industry in the US and abroad has rolled out recommendations to help combat climate change. The narrative is often framed as “combat,” us against nature. Something for us to tame, overpower, etc.

COVID-19 is claiming lives daily and relentlessly disrupting everything else across the globe. For those of us whose health is unaffected, our attention turns to doing what we can to avoid spreading the virus, protecting ourselves and our loved ones, helping others, and trying to adjust to this new normal.

It also means figuring out how to do our jobs in the context of physical distancing, self-isolation, quarantine, and sheltering in place.

March. The scent of honeysuckle colors vivid memories of the treehouse in the woods where I used to play as a young boy. In the spring, wild honeysuckle would come back to life to carve out a room - just for me - where I would play for months to come. 

Spring is around the corner, and mother nature is once again - effortlessly it seems - getting ready to put on a show. Architects, artists, designers, gardeners, poets, and scientists alike have long been inspired by nature and still are. As humans, we have long relied on the plant world to heal, protect, and thrive, yet we have also, it seems, forgotten many of the lessons learned along the way.

February. Love is in the air, or is it the smell of canned foods? 

Did you know that in the US alone, the month of February is claimed by over 12 causes ranging from the worthy Black History Month to - you guessed it - Canned Food Month (apparently, it’s a thing). In addition to that, over 70 holidays will be celebrated, but 2 caught my attention: National Margarita Day (need I say more) and International World Thinking Day. Both are celebrated on February 22, which seems a bit incompatible if you ask me, but I digress. 

These days, our insights and attention are the most valuable currency, yet we set very little time aside for the deep thinking that leads to insights.

What will we leave behind? How can we fix the future? Will we leave the world a better place than we found it? These questions have been haunting me for years.

Comparing Millennials to Gen X, baby boomers and now to Gen Z has captivated our attention for quite a while. Maybe I am just tired of hearing about how different we all are. Perhaps I am just lazy and looking for a one-size-fits-all approach (terrible idea - for the record). Regardless, I was thrilled to come across articles and research studies talking about commonality across generations.