Speaking of the public image of the architect, Stephanie Garlock laments that it is often akin to "Ayn Rand's Howard Roark— arrogant, individualistic, and committed to the genius of artistic vision above all." In a feature piece for the March/April edition of Harvard Magazine, Garlock explores the potential for architects to affect wider social change and move "[b]eyond 'Design for Design's Sake'."
From John Peterson's pro-bono architecture nonprofit Public Architecture to Michael Murphy's MASS Design Group (MASS shorthand for Model of Architecture Serving Society), the article examines the ways in which the line between "architect as artist" and "architect as social actor" can be eroded. Providing commentary on the "traditional mode of corporate architecture," Garlock reiterates the importance of designing for the public interest and a cross-disciplinary approach that incorporates professionals in proximal fields of planning, landscape architecture, and urban design. Read the full article here.
