Optimism and the Built Environment

Reasons for optimism are all around. And many are deeply embedded in the work that Architects and Designers do every day. If nothing else, the past 25 years working with design professionals have taught me that you find ways to solve problems. To elevate the human experience. I have experienced it. 

Reasons for optimism can be found in conversations with our elders and our teenagers - both equally baffling yet grounding in the wisdom they hold - albeit for different reasons. 

When it comes to the built environment, Architect Taleen Josefsson will tell you that the former - our elders and the ancestral knowledge they hold - "can contribute expert knowledge of place, time-tested practices, and vernacular design that can be adapted and applied to modern buildings." The latter - our younger generation - has an uncanny ability to challenge the status quo and dare us to ask: What if we could? 

Reasons for optimism lie in the actions we take. Those of us between our elder and teenage years are tasked with turning these insights into action: Meaningful steps we can take to set the next generation up for success. Just like past generations have done for us. 

Reasons for optimism are all around. Some are sprinkled throughout our Change by Design series. A space for problem solvers to learn, unlearn, relearn from the diversity of human experiences, and forge a path forward. 

With Architects and Designers on the task, I know we've got this. There is too much brain power on the receiving end of this email alone not to. 

What are your reasons for optimism?