NCARB Competency Standard #5: Integrate Socio-Demographic Considerations and Universal Design Principles

Part of the role of the architect in society is to promote inclusivity and justice through architecture design. There are so many architects I've met who are only focused on their current client and addressing their specific needs. Architects have a responsibility as designers of the built environment to look beyond that, to see what's going to happen 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now. We don't want our buildings demolished and something else go up We'd like them to stay there forever, ideally.

NCARB Competency Standard #5: Integrate Socio-Demographic Considerations and Universal Design Principles

At the point of initial licensure, architects with this competency can …

• Implement design strategies that address diverse cultural, social, and functional considerations, ensuring built environments are inclusive, accessible, and adaptive.

• Understand how diversity, equity, inclusivity, and justice principles impact architectural projects and practice.

• Utilize meaningful engagement processes that incorporate diverse perspectives into design solutions.

We're taking old buildings that were intended for something else and adapting those to new uses, that's a great place for architects to focus their creative energies.

Notice, the second bullet point starts with the verb understand. This is about learning. This is about becoming more aware, about having the awareness to take action in your designs, to make them better, a thing that future people can use and that all people can use.

With most architecture, you don't know who's going to be occupying that building, that space, that environment. Design it in such a way that it makes everyone who occupies that space feel value, feel counted.

And the third bullet point is about being engaged in the community where you're designing. Get feedback from the people, and creating the processes for doing that.

What can you do right now?

First of all, study, keep up on all the current requirements, but expand that, think beyond the minimum and start really thinking about how you can be more effective for more people. That's the value of architects.

Start observing and talking to people with special needs and abilities.

Be open to learning about diverse cultures and traditions. Then, when you are engaged with others in the design process, be the challenger, the disrupter, to introduce universal design.