Discover Architecture: Recommendations for the Initiation and Implementation of an Architectural Education Program for Community Youth

The contributions made by architects to our society are rarely understood or recognized by the average citizen. Furthermore, architecture, though truthfully lacking in diversity, is a field plagued by unhelpful an incorrect stereotypes, deterring many from attempting to enter the field. The blame is not on the community alone; by failing to engage in public discourse about the importance of good design in the built environment and remaining aloof, many architects have contributed to their own marginalization. Part of the problem is a gap in communication between architects and non-architects \u2014 how can we hope to understand one another when it appears that we don't even speak the same language? Some design advocates believe that basic design should be taught in schools, just as we teach algebra and English. This would allow architects to teach the basic language that we speak to a broad audience, thus expanding discourse and appreciation for the potential of the built environment. In this way, people will become actively involved in the spaces around them, and hopefully be willing to devote money and effort into the betterment of their community through the promotion of good architectural practices.