Abstract:
Humans construct buildings to meet some of their most basic needs. )2ople have always built, and will continue building with or without architects. Architects and their designs are often given too much credit. Designers like to think their work contributes to our society positively, when in reality the contributions are minor. People want to feel safe, legitimate, and dignified. Beyond the fulfillment of basic needs and desires, the specifics of design are less important. The field of architecture today rewards designers more for aesthetic and technical beauty and innovation than for actual contributions to the communities in which they work. I provide examples from studies which explore what people really want in design, examples of designers working to truly improve peoples’ lives, and projects I have worked on that have the same goals.
