Are We Solving the Right Problem?
A note from Design Intelligence’s Editor Michael LeFevre
The Challenge
In September 2020, DesignIntelligence hosted a virtual conference on The Future of Environmental Responsibility. In our first “not in person” event of the COVID era, a stellar cast of presenters shared thought leadership on a wide range of sustainability-related topics. In closing our three-day event, moderator and DesignIntelligence CEO Dave Gilmore challenged participants to continue the conversation. This publication is the result. In it you’ll find essays and expertise from more than a dozen passionate professionals, recognized leaders all.
Contributors and Topics
What can you expect to find? Dave Gilmore’s opening essay describes The Changing Governance of All Things, brought on by a new demographic of leaders. Darryl Condon of HCMA follows with a discussion on Shifting Perspectives. Other topics include Gensler’s Rives Taylor and Walter P. Moore’s Dirk Kestner’s collaborative musing on the changing perspectives of life cycle assessment and five starting points for greater engagement. Ken Sanders outlines the principles of the 10 Minute City. Planetary Collective filmmaker Guy Reid tells the story of Planetary Design: The Paramount Importance of Our Embedded Reality.
Roberto Ventura cautions us that “Design Will Not Change The World” as he challenges conventional design thinking and problem solving to transcend boundaries. Tarkett’s Sustainability VP, Roxane Spears, asks: The Circular Economy: Why Not Us? Bala’s Andrew Hornung looks ahead to the COVID pandemic’s effects on sustainability. DLR’s Premnath Sundharam gives us a framework − four operating models for sustainable value propositions. Ellen Mitchell-Kozack discusses balance. MKA’s Don Davies recounts the industry-wide effort that resulted in the development of the EC3 calculator tool. From Wight and Company, Lois Vitt Sale discusses necessary educational actions. Finally, Hanbury’s Rob Reis and Tom Powers give us a view inside their firm’s progress on The Road to 2030.
The Global Context
We find ourselves in a global context of great uncertainty. The very systems we have created and entrusted one another to believe in have come into question. Our core political, societal, economic, and racial systems seem tenuous. All connect in a common context: our planet. Regardless of your political beliefs, science has shown that we can’t solve climate change in isolation. The actions of one country, government, or continent have systemic impacts on all others. In such a context, we face multiple, concurrent, connected problems. Are we solving the right one?
Solving the Wrong Problem?
It has been a pleasure to guide the editorial direction of this publication and to work with its authors in creating a body of timely, meaningful, necessary thought. Beyond my editorial role, I offer thoughts on a persistent issue: solving the wrong problem. Henry Ford is often cited as having issued the following advice:
“There is nothing worse than doing with utmost efficiency, that which should not be done at all.”
I reprise his admonition often because it points out our recurring dilemma vividly: designing and building for the short term, for isolated contexts and single buildings.
For years, too many designers have deigned to accept commissions under misguided terms, citing excuses such as: “the owners set the terms,” “if we don’t do it, some other firm will,” and “we have to feed our families.” Where is their courage? Where is their conviction?
Is there no firm that can boldly challenge contract terms to open their owners’ eyes? A courageous firm could suggest new forms of long-term, broader-context fee arrangements. In such contracts, short term design costs may even increase while saving owners and society money and resources in significant, longer-term ways. Surely someone is doing this. Someone must have the ability to speak in owners’ and developers’ language to convince them to understand and accept the collective benefits of such radically different terms of engagement.
No More Excuses
To a person, every panelist in our DI virtual event held in September 2020 speculated that in 10 years, by 2030, the tide will have turned. We will be on our way to carbon neutrality and enjoying new ways of operating in the industry. I love their optimism, but we won’t get there if we don’t start now. And that begins with our minds, purposes, and processes: intention, motivation and compensation. We need new missions and the means to achieve them. Our goals, objectives, contracts, and outlooks must be reframed. No more excuses.
Reeducating Clients
Can we work asynchronously, before and after projects — off the clock — to reeducate our clients to these possibilities? We could bring about radical change and shape client requests for proposal to include balanced, longer-term objectives instead of short-term, first-cost, transactional ones. Faced with short-term, isolated projects that exclude societal impacts and life-cycle costs, we doom not only ourselves and our clients, but our neighbors, communities, and generations to come. Do we not have the critical thinking, synergistic, and presentation abilities to make these points in compelling ways to clients — those supposedly expert at being owners? Do they not care? Do we not care as designers, builders, and environmental stewards? Surely, we do. Surely, we can do this. Let’s start now.
Designers already have the skills and knowledge — the “magic” to transform things. It’s what we’re driven to do as designers. What many of us lack is the salesmanship, leverage, and ability to translate languages to change minds, perspectives — and actions. To find the leverage to convince ourselves and our clients to do the right thing. To solve the right problem. That’s all I ask.
Event Recap: Finding Balance
We were privileged to hear from more than a dozen great speakers in our November event. You can hear them again at DI-mediagroup.com.
In his opening comments from our September event, Dave Gilmore spoke to designers’ risk aversion. Too often, our individual and proprietary actions preclude collaboration. He urged us to change these counterproductive paradigms by changing “self” agendas to “we” agendas.
In his presentation, Guy Reid, filmmaker at the Planetary collective, spoke of the Greek notions of phusis (i.e. physics, the real, natural world) and nomos (the manmade world, polis, civilization, and our economic and financial systems).
The Greeks knew: when phusis and nomos are not in harmony, tragedy ensues.
I urge you to delve deeply into this timely collection of environmental leadership imperatives, and to share them broadly. Then act on them. Find harmony in phusis and nomos and convince your clients of the need for that balance. With both knowledge of home (Ecology) and management of home (Economy) in balance together, long term, we will solve the right problem. It is our responsibility.
Michael LeFevre, FAIA Emeritus, is Managing Editor at DI MediaGroup Publications, and the author of the Amazon bestselling new release, Managing Design, (Wiley 2019.)