Museums, hotels and towers do not alone make cities. Architecture has an unique power to build, sustain and forge communities. BizCommunity explores how everyday buildings can strengthen communities and invigorate urban life.
This is good news for architects. Indeed, 2018 promises to be a favourable year for the profession: A spectacular array of sleek museums, posh hotels and some of the world’s tallest towers are slated for completion.
But income inequality is on the rise in the United States, with many city dwellers reaping few benefits from the current economic upturn.
The same could be said for the colossal scale and visual theatrics of high-profile buildings. Residential towers for the super rich are transforming the skylines of cities and public spaces are increasingly being privatised. As a result, cities are being shaped according to the desires of the elite.
This is particularly troublesome as many cities are also grappling with the ongoing politics of austerity – less and less investment in public services, infrastructure and public housing. Yet some architects have dedicated themselves to addressing these very problems.
The architecture of social engagement – the idea that buildings should address inequality and improve the lives of all dwellers – first started gaining steam during the Great Recession. It’s important to continue moving this work out from under the shadows of the glossier buildings that tend to receive the most media attention.
Click here to read more about the urban development in 2018.
