Event

Beyond the Building

The AIA Columbus Healthcare Committee presents a presentation, Beyond the Building, by Alan Ricks of MASS Design Group out of Boston.

Can architecture improve our health? Can architecture be used to radically improve people's lives? Conversely, can architecture injure the population it houses? Can architecture kill? Put differently, what is the role of architecture beyond the building itself?
MASS Design Group is an architecture and design organization committed to stretching the boundaries of what we expect our built environment to provide. We have seen architecture restrict people's access to essential services, but in the process of working on buildings as far afield as Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Haiti, we've also seen design and the process of building generate systemic change, break the cycle of poverty, and radically improve people's health, livelihoods, and lives. This lecture will discuss our work, our process, and the opportunities through which architects and designers can apply their skills for impact.