The Social Responsibility of Architects
June 29, 2011 · by Helena L. Jubany
Everyone benefits when architects volunteer in community nonprofit organizations.
Do architects and architectural firms have a social responsibility beyond our practice? We all have heard
about the social consequences of architecture and about architects having a responsibility to the
community when they create a piece of architecture. But do we have a social responsibility that extends
beyond our practice?
What does social responsibility in architecture mean in our time? Certainly it means sustainable design,
however you choose to define it. The definition of social responsibility and how sustainable design is
implemented are hotly debated, but most of us would agree that two goals of sustainable design are to
eliminate or minimize negative environmental impact of the built environment and to connect people with
the natural environment.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN PRACTICE
The social responsibility of architects lies in part in believing that architecture can create better places,
that architecture can affect society, and that it can even have a role in making a place civilized by making
a community more livable. As a social catalyst, architecture is not as effective as, for example,
stimulating a healthy economy by directly funding public construction, finding the cure for AIDS, ending
homelessness, or improving education. It is definitely not as essential as farmers harvesting food or
teachers educating students; a great school building does not itself teach even though it can provide a
better environment for learning. All of these positions can be argued, but the reality is that it is difficult to
substantiate the effects of architecture on our lives or the nature of a community.
HOW DESIGN CAN AFFECT YOUR MOOD
Architects have long intuited that the places we inhabit can affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
Now behavioral scientists are giving their hunches an empirical basis.
Scientists are unearthing tantalizing clues about how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep
students focused and alert, and lead to relaxation and social intimacy. The results inform architectural and
design decisions such as the height of ceilings, the view from windows, the shape of furniture, and the
type and intensity of lighting.
http://www.di.net/articles/the_social_responsibility_architects/
http://www.via-architecture.com/how-design-can-affect-your-mood/
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/10/16/buildings.happiness/index.html