Architects can provide valuable insight, resulting in beautiful, responsible buildings
Good design makes a difference. Design influences the way we live, work and play. Therefore, it better be great.
Placemaking is vital to the continued growth and success of any community. “Places are sustained and continue to grow by serving the people who live there,” says architectural professor Michael J. Crosbie. Places must have distinctive amenities with a variety of lifestyle choices to attract people. Architects play a vital role in creating inspirational places and memorable communities. We should not only be concerned about life safety issues, but also quality of life issues. We should be concerned about environmental quality, community and neighborhood revitalization, land use, transportation and housing. We also should be looking at amenities, such as recreation, cultural districts and heritage issues that help create livable communities that the public desires.
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The North Canadian River Corridor, also known as the Oklahoma River, is at the center of an urban renaissance that will continue to breathe new life and vitality into Oklahoma City. Wheeler District and the OKANA Resort, situated on the south bank of the Oklahoma River, are examples of innovative developments spurring reinvestment and redevelopment in our community.
Civic pride inspires the growth and prosperity of a city by drawing support and encouragement from the most crucial component toward success: the people. Good design instills a sense of pride in people. The stronger the sense of place and the identity created by it, the more people will feel invested in their community. We want our clients to be proud of the buildings that we design for them. We strive to provide our clients with a design solution that serves their needs programmatically and functionally. We also need to provide a design solution that inspires their imagination and expresses their identity and culture. This creates pride in ownership of their building. They become stakeholders in the community.
Stewardship is at the heart of good design. Creating healthy, sustainable communities will help keep Oklahoma at the forefront of the 21st-century global economy. Innovation in our approach to addressing the issues of inevitable growth will be important in our efforts to become a more livable community. Regional public transportation, affordable housing, alternative energy sources and access to water resources are critical issues that we need to address. Architects can provide valuable insight to these issues through our knowledge and understanding of the latest trends and technological advances in building design and construction, resulting in beautiful, responsible buildings that balance function with eco-consciousness.
Our community has seen extraordinary change over the past 30 years. MAPS, Core to Shore and Project 180 are initiatives that have changed the face of our community. These initiatives have been a catalyst for private economic development and growth, improving the lives of residents and attracting thousands of visitors each year. Architects must continue to be active in our advocacy for good design, reshaping our community to make a lasting impact.
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Kenneth Dennis, AIA, LEED AP, is principal of Studio Architecture.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Good design instills a sense of pride in people about their community
