CREJ

16 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / March 2020 How Design Advisory Groups Require More than One Color A common question I often hear from participants in design advi- sory groups is, “Why do architects wear black?” There are many theories on why architects dress like cat burglars rather than experts at deploying color, light, struc- ture, rhythm and texture. Some don’t want to overshadow their designs, others try to convey the solemnity of shaping our human environ- ments; and I suspect that others are so sleep de- prived they need to make getting dressed in the dark foolproof! This uniform of sorts can some- times be misinterpreted as aloofness or superior- ity over the very people we seek to serve, which is not the intent. Regardless of ensemble, design should be seen as a celebration – not a funeral. In reality an ar- chitect’s role is not black and white, it spans the spectrum of the rainbow, where we commonly act as the unifier, facilitator and moderator of a larger collective to bring consensus to many. The most successful projects I have been a part of involve intense collaboration, organization and community impact. Projects that encompass these elements go beyond function to celebrate culture through each building that we create. A common method to help stimulate engagement in a community is through a design advisory group. This is a specific group of individuals who repre- sent the various stakeholders for a building. For example, the DAG for a new school would include different (and sometimes opposing) students, teachers, parents, neighbors, school officials, eth- nicities and opinions. I have found that diversity is key to stimulate lively and informative discus- sions within your DAG. I believe that people get excited when they have the opportunity to fundamentally change or create their environment, but on the flipside this process can cause intimidation by the weight and permanence of such changes. Since fear is not conducive to creativity, the first task an architect should do is to remove anxiety from the process by empowering the DAG with knowledge. In order to do this, I employ the following four principles with every group I have the privilege of working with. Engage the public with an open mind. If you ask for ideas, it is important to consider them thoroughly. I had learned this lesson early in my career when a DAG member known for hav- ing “wild” ideas came up with a different suggestion for the group. I was busy formulating thoughts on how to dismiss it, but fortunately another more experienced architect in the room recognized the brilliance of the idea before I could dis- miss it. I realized I judged the suggestion based on the source and not the merit of the idea. I became a much better listener ever since that experience. Explain your design process – the practical and the inspi- rational. People can be intimi- dated by design because they Jane Crisler, AIA, LEED AP K-12 Market Leader: Historic Preservation, EUA Design Forward Breaking out of a uniform Collaboration is paramount to succes.