To me, architecture is the designing of the world around us. The buildings that surround us influence our lives in many ways. From the amount of space each person or family is allocated, to the inclusion or exclusion of parking to promote other modes of transportation. The impacts of our designs vastly transcend the core idea of architecture, providing shelter from the environment.
With such great responsibility and power, I think the only just and ethical course of action would be to strive to improve the communities that our designs inhabit. Providing shelter and opportunity to those in need while facilitating further economic growth for those with jobs should be the primal focus of any community project. Another key aspect would be to promote healthy lifestyles in the community, such as providing access to fresh produce. As humans, I think it is our responsibility to better the lives of those around us; and through architecture, I think this is very possible with perseverance and a healthy amount of hope and faith.
