ARCHITECTURE, ENGAGEMENT + COMMUNITY POWER.

Catalog description

Architecture, Engagement and Community Power will unpack the role of the citizen architect. It will examine participatory design processes that center community voice and shift existing power structures. In this country, constructed systems of oppression including racist practices, policies and financial systems have shaped the way our neighborhoods have developed. These acts have created inequities across communities that impact one's ability to thrive. Starting from the notion that all places are designed, and can therefore be undesigned, this course will explore the ways in which design processes can strengthen community power for marginalized communities. This course will encourage activism as an inherent quality in the development of an architect; encourage students to make connections between classroom learning and the larger community; require students to develop the skill to see and hear multiple voices; and encourage the development of visual, written, & oral communication tools. Prerequisite: ARCH 2303 , ARCH 2304 . Junior standing in program. Restricted to Architecture and Interior Design majors.