Listening to Learn - how can we do more of this?

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[0],1,"Listening to Learn"],[0,[],0," - how can we do more of this?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects work at the inflection point between investors and users or - more candidly put - between people and power. Enlisted to create spaces from voids, architects are quite "],[0,[0],1,"literally"],[0,[],0," shaping the future of communities. The adage holds, \u201cwith great authority comes great responsibility.\u201d Historically, dollars have driven the development of neighborhoods and cities. Outside investors appear seemingly out of thin air with capital to build structures that reshape communities, entrusting architects to bridge the gap between functional design, financial demands, and stakeholder concerns. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Over the past decade, it\u2019s become even more evident that our environments shape our lived experiences. From growing research around biophilia to healthy buildings to renewable materials to circular economy to socioeconomic diversity \u2013 we realize that what we build isn\u2019t nearly as important as "],[0,[0],1,"why"],[0,[],0," we build. In 2019, the American Institute of Architects highlighted Climate Action as a key priority in the field and added Racial Justice as a critical consideration last year. At the intersection of our responsibility to the environment and our accountability to our neighbors is Climate Justice. We asked, \u201chow do we move from community engagement to community "],[0,[0],1,"empowerment"],[0,[],0,"?\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"At the crux of effective empowerment is effective listening. If architects are meant to engage with and respond to various stakeholders throughout the design process, how are we honing these abilities? Do we truly understand how to hear, respond to, and validate all stakeholders? How do we listen to learn and then apply what we\u2019ve learned to practical design decisions? How can we further value and facilitate community stakeholders throughout the design process? "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In the wake of these questions, AIAGR COTE Co-Chair - Matthew VanSweden and AIAGR Past President - Megan Feenstra Wall partnered with WMCAT\u0027s Trudy Ngo-Brown to develop and facilitate a two-part workshop this spring entitled \u201cListening to Learn.\u201d Trudy is the Director of Public Agency at West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology and works to help organizations think about how design influences work, service, and communities. Megan brought immense heritage and experience into the architectural sphere, working as Principal and Owner of Mathison|Mathison Architects and as former Board President for AIA Grand Rapids. As co-chair of the AIA Grand Rapids Committee on the Environment and Managing Director over Building Construction + Support at Foresight Management, Matt brought a robust knowledge of the environmental and social implications of design decisions. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This workshop intentionally pulled together architects with a wide range of experiences, influence, and roles in firms to explore "],[0,[0],1,"how"],[0,[],0," we listen and "],[0,[0],1,"who"],[0,[],0," we listen to. So many things influence how well we listen at any given moment - many of which are unseen or uncontrollable from moment to moment. Together, we explored aspects of our identity and experiences that might shape how we listen, such as worldview, trauma, biases, mood, and our subconscious. Building awareness of these influences allows us to be mindful of the lens through which we filter information, better equipping ourselves to take a neutral stance when listening and making decisions. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Our discussion around "],[0,[0],1,"who"],[0,[],0," we listen to led to a deep exploration of power propositions in design. We asked ourselves if we are designing "],[0,[0],1,"at, for, "],[0,[],0,"or "],[0,[0],1,"with"],[0,[],0," people \u2013 with the gold standard being a step further: design "],[0,[0],1,"led by"],[0,[],0," people. With these frameworks in mind, we defined practical ways to transform the discovery processes at our various firms to account for more stakeholders, more authority, and more investment in the listening phase. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This workshop confirmed that conversations on equity and empathy are valuable across all industries. The resounding response from participants was, \u201chow can we do more of this?\u201d We must view empathy as a learned skill, like all other skills, and it\u2019s a tool that requires education, refinement, investment, and practice. Changing hearts and minds is a process, not simply a two-day workshop fix. As facilitators, we hope this workshop paves the way for more of its kind and begins trickling down to how we build contracts and plan scopes of work. Building communities has a generational impact, a responsibility that deserves the utmost awareness and inclusion of those who will carry the blessing - or burden - of our design. May we learn to listen well."]]]]}