DI Media
The Shift in Sustainability
During this time of extreme income inequality and a growing political divide in the country, support for sustainability is challenged by what Alex Schafran refers to as an “Incomplete Coalition” — we have been focusing on sustainability now for a long time, and if it was a complete idea, if it was sufficiently inclusive, we … Continued
Collective Design for a Changing Climate
Dr. Adrian Parr is a philosopher and cultural critic that works at the intersection of environmental, social and political activism. She is a UNESCO Chair of Water and Human Settlements and Dean of the College of Architecture, Planning, and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington. We spoke with Adrian about climate change, … Continued
Designing Against Extinction with Terreform ONE
Terreform ONE was founded more than a decade ago to find solutions to cities’ environmental challenges by merging education, design, research, public outreach and science, with a concentration on socio-ecological design. Mitchell Joachim and Vivian Kuan spoke with DesignIntelligence about their organization’s focus and how we can all make a difference in designing a future … Continued
Our New Reality: Updating Jonas Salk’s Predictions for a New Epoch
Nearly 40 years ago, Jonas Salk and his son Jonathan wrote a book about the transition from centuries of population growth to population equilibrium and the impact that such a change would have on society, global interdependence, and the environment and its resources. Recently, Jonathan and David Dewane have updated the book, called “A New … Continued
Stop Going Round in Circles About the Circular Economy
As people around the world increasingly question our impact on and relationship to the physical environment, so too should those who design how we live and work within it. With thoughtful planning, collective efforts and careful attention to the life cycle of materials, sustainability in the A/E/C industry could be closer than we think. Close … Continued
The Way of Authentic Leadership — Part 2
A curiosity of sorts is in the natural behavior of people placed into leadership when neither their skillset nor experience warrants the placement. Over the past 5+ years I’ve been witness to multiple misplacements into senior leadership roles only to see their organizations swirl into a choreography of confusion and misaligned activities. The leader (by … Continued
The Way of Authentic Leadership – Part 1
Over the past twenty-nine years, I’ve been an intentional observer, writer and speaker regarding leadership. The journey has taken me to large and small places, large and small personalities, and large and small thinkers. Along the way I’ve encountered big voices requiring cotton-stuffed ears to get through the exchange and quiet voices requiring a lean-in … Continued
The Death of the Architecture Firm — Part 2
This is the second of a two-part exploration of how today’s architecture practices must transform to survive. Part One (in the 1Q 2019 issue of DesignIntelligence Quarterly) touched on many of the external factors impacting the industry and the need for developing new organizational models. Most companies today have discovered the importance of striking an … Continued