Category: Watch

From the “Feel Good” City to the Just City

Keynote presentation by Margaret Crawford – Professor of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley as part of the conference: Contesting the Streets II: Vending and Public Space in Global Cities. [youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEGliu4P-Mk”]

The Declaration of Interdependence

To honor those who declared interdependence before us, Randy Hester discusses our responsibility to sustain ecological democracy and attempt to achieve sustainable happiness. This video explores all the components and resources required to achieve this, which include the intersection between community, language, nature, politics, etc. [button url=”https://www.lafoundation.org/resources/2016/07/declaration-randy-hester” target=”blank” background=”#444444″]Watch Here[/button]

When Learning Is Real: The Mill Creek Project by Anne Whiston Spirn

The Mill Creek project allows students to engage in an alternative way of learning. The teachers of Sulzberger Middle School started asking students to draw what they would want to see in the community. This simple process encourages the students, even those without prior experience, to take initiative in this project and others that follow.… Continue reading When Learning Is Real: The Mill Creek Project by Anne Whiston Spirn

Claiming Open Space

Claiming Open Spaces is a documentary film by Austin Allen exploring how parks that hold the history of minority groups, specifically Black communities, have been left put of planning and neglected by the city. Many cultural shaping events have had roots in parks and open spaces within the city. However, historically these sites have been… Continue reading Claiming Open Space

Community Engagement during the Pandemic and Beyond

During this unfortunate pandemic, in-person meetings and workshops needed for many collaborative design process are no longer possible. In this video, five landscape architects share their experience on how they continue to involve and collaborate with the community and stakeholders in decision making. They offer creative and effective strategies, tools and lessons for the pandemic… Continue reading Community Engagement during the Pandemic and Beyond

Design Justice: Colloquial Design for a Just City

Architect, Bryan Lee, found design justice and advocacy as a way to use architecture to create the biggest impact on communities. Bryan started his design company, Colloqate, to tell a story and acknowledge inequality to better design spaces that support racial, social and cultural equity. Their goal is to achieve justice through built environments. [youtube… Continue reading Design Justice: Colloquial Design for a Just City

How to make a model city: Place-It by James Rojas

This video gives a guideline on how to create a model city using everyday household art supplies. This concise video provides detailed instructions on how to create 3-dimensional topography and placement of different objects that may be on hand. This mixed-use of different supplies allows for an engaging, yet easy way to create your very… Continue reading How to make a model city: Place-It by James Rojas

Community Designer: Chelina Odbert

With a teaching background, Chelina Odbert sees the importance of good design. She has also realized the potential for design to be more accessible, and start tackling big social and economic issues, such as poverty, to achieve equitable communities. She and peers created KDI to help low income communities build long lasting equity in places… Continue reading Community Designer: Chelina Odbert

Theaster Gates: How to revive a neighborhood: with imagination, beauty and art

Artist and activist Theaster Gates noticed many issues, such as neglected infrastructure and abandonment of buildings, in his neighborhood in Chicago. With his artistic background, Gates began to revive abandoned buildings into creative spaces and cultural hubs that people in the community can use. He explains his efforts to bridge the gap between artists, like… Continue reading Theaster Gates: How to revive a neighborhood: with imagination, beauty and art

Chicago Expanding Architecture Conversations on Design as Activism

Metropolis magazine hosted a panel that explored the need to expand the field of architecture by including design as activism. More attention has turned to designing for sustainability, but there is still a lack of focus on designing for social and economic issues. The panel discussed a spectrum of social issues, such as affordable housing;… Continue reading Chicago Expanding Architecture Conversations on Design as Activism

Design Activism in Detroit

The Detroit Collaborative Design Center (DCDC) is not content with the status quo when it comes to built environment professionals — especially architects. Based at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Architecture since 1994, it sees the production of architecture as a political act, one that supports or disrupts the actions of individuals and… Continue reading Design Activism in Detroit

TEDxHunterCCS: Winston Dong – Design Is Activism

Winston Dong is the founding principal of a planning and design firm, Benchmark38. In this Tedx talk, Winston focused on how design in landscape architecture shapes our society and the way we interact with the public realm. A well designed public space allows for a place where people can work, play, and learn effectively. [youtube_advanced… Continue reading TEDxHunterCCS: Winston Dong – Design Is Activism

Social Justice and Activism in Design

With the help of ArchDaily in Santiago, Chile, assistant professor Shawhin Roudbari explores how architects and designers engage in a community and introduce political engagement in design on a global scale. The trip highlights the importance of cultural exchanges in the design and planning process, as well as in between design groups. [button url=”https://www.colorado.edu/envd/2017/03/24/social-justice-and-activism-design” target=”blank”… Continue reading Social Justice and Activism in Design

History and Traditions of Design Activism

This design panel includes Clare Cooper Marcus, Stanley Saitowitz, Michael Teitz and others discussing the historical and philosophical roots of Design activism. The panelists discuss the need for social conscience in planning, recognizing people who were revolutionary in the field in the 1950s, recognizing problems and confusion in design and planning, early projects and innovation… Continue reading History and Traditions of Design Activism

Urban Ecology as Activism

Kate Orff discusses the need for meaningful landscape design to respond to current issues such as climate change.  She believes in taking a stand in making landscape architecture “promulgate new civic life.” She explores new tools to achieve this while involving everyone in a community through examples of her projects throughout the United States. While… Continue reading Urban Ecology as Activism