As architects, our purpose is to shape the built world we live together within and to create a more equitable and just world through design. I believe a key component of designing for a community is to understand that community. You have to be of the community to connect with the community. You have to be open to sharing experiences, knowing that you don’t know every experience, that you can’t see every solution to every problem in a silo of your own experiences, and that you need community, partners, and other viewpoints to design holistic solutions. This requires work to connect with people in a place, hear their stories, understand their point of view, see what has shaped them, and better understand their experiences to expand your ability to design for them.
There is a myth, sometimes widespread, that a person need only do inner work…that a [person] is entirely responsible for [their] own problems; and that to cure [themselves], [they] need only change [themselves]…. The fact is, a person is so formed by [their] surroundings, that [their] state of harmony depends entirely on [their] harmony with [their] surroundings. ~ Christopher Alexander
So why don’t we see empathy being used in design on a regular basis? The challenge to take on empathetic design is change. You have to open up and be vulnerable, hear others fully, and be willing to let go of what you thought was right solely based on your past experiences. I believe we are at a turning point in the world where disharmony sells and many are not focused on helping each other or building a better world. It is time for all of us to lead with empathy, to sell harmony in our communities, and to build a better future together. We need to step forward to make positive change. If we don’t do it, then who will?
