MAY 2005 - Scott Stolarczyk, AIA

At times I feel discouraged by a seeming lack of appreciation for the qualities of good design in the built environment in general, and for the talents and value of architects in particular. We have been trained as critical thinkers and problem solvers, only to find our roles relegated more and more to the background as projects become more complicated and the parties involved more numerous. There has been much said about needing to redefine the architect as a crucial leader on any project team, and I do not want to spend time on this thought. Instead, I want to point to examples that uplift me regarding what we can accomplish as architects; how we can look beyond our roles for a project and instead look at the values and talents we as architects can bring to a larger audience, and for a greater purpose. I want to look at architects as leaders in addressing larger issues, and the role that design plays in these issues.

At a recent lecture during this year's H.O.P.E.S. conference at the University of Oregon, I had the opportunity to hear Ed Mazria, an architect and educator in New Mexico, talk about how he sees architects as the only solution to the issue of global climate change. It sounds like a big role to fill, but Mazria makes a strong argument. He states that buildings and their operations make up an enormous portion of our nation's total energy use, more so than even transportation and industry. He also proposes that through careful and intelligent design and material selection, it is possible to decrease the total energy use of a building, and its associated emissions, by over 50%. This is through design alone, without the implementation of new and/or costly technologies. It is in an example like this where we see what an incredibly important role we play, and how our actions contribute to not only a successful project, but to a viable society. Through our designs, we start to affect a larger web that can start to make significant change quickly to issues that seem too large and daunting to tackle.

At another lecture that same weekend, Cameron Sinclair, the founder and force behind Architecture for Humanity, spoke about his desire to not only provide positive change in the world, but to elevate the importance of design and architecture as a catalyst for this change. His effort may very well help to redefine the role of the architect and highlight how our skills and training can inspire solutions that have effect beyond just the buildings we design.

I can strongly recommend both Mazria and Sinclair as a starting point to you own study into how you can use your work as a medium for great things in the community, as an inspiration for others and their ideas, and as an inspiration to yourself. By looking at the role of architecture in a larger context, we can strengthen the appreciation of architecture and increase the understanding of how good design is intricately connected to a better world. As architects, we can be at the forefront of new ideas and possibilities.

Scott Stolarczyk, AIA