Development Spotlight: What is Community-Focused Architecture?
“There's things we have to build.
There's people we have to hire.
There's materials we have to use.
And if you think about the whole thing as a design project, you can have a lot more impact.”
- Michael Murphy, executive director, Model of Architecture Serving Society
What does it mean to design a building? Is the “design” just the form the building will take, or is it bigger than that? Could “design” also include how the building is created: who is employed to make it, using what resources, purchased where and from whom?
That’s the central question behind MASS, a design firm practicing community-focused architecture. This approach considers the labor and materials used in a project as a fundamental part of its design, and prioritizes hiring local workers and using locally-sourced materials so that the project as a whole has the greatest possible local impact.
How do you think Lewiston can make the most of the $30 million that is flowing into our community through the Choice Neighborhoods Grant?
How can these resources reach as many people in our community as possible, in the form of local jobs, new customers for local businesses, and increased demand for locally-produced resources? How much of this $30 million could we spread across our local economy to have the greatest possible impact on Lewiston?
Thank you to Network Member Joe for bringing this approach to our attention! Want to share your thoughts about development in Lewiston? Join us for our next Network Meeting!