Building Visions is a new architecture series by Chilean director Diego Breit-Lira that, across four episodes, features architects Johannes Tovatt, Marta Maccaglia, Anupama Kundoo, and Florian Boer. What do they have in common? They seek answers to the major questions facing our civilization today: climate change, rapidly growing cities, education, resource consumption, local community participation, and networking.
Many of us agree with Roman Mars of 99% Invisible when he says that we "tend to not notice things that are well-designed"—yet we also agree that design is often considered a privilege for the few. Consequently, we must ask ourselves what truly constitutes democratic design, using this reflection to help define and contribute our vision toward a more equitable society.
From the perspective of architecture and design, democratization can be examined from several angles, ranging from debates on addressing everyday needs to strategies for inclusive design. At the core of these discussions lies a shared goal: finding ways to improve accessibility and livability in our daily lives.
Is it truly possible to design for everyone? And if so, how do we achieve it? We posed this question to you, our readers, in an open call. After reviewing the vast number of responses from industry professionals, students, and architecture enthusiasts, we were struck by a common thread: we not only experience design directly or indirectly in our daily lives, but we also need it to dismantle stereotypes and paradigms. Read a selection of these perspectives below.
