We all need heroes, and these are some of mine. The first time I heard Samuel Mockbee speak in college, it completely rocked my world. Ditto Bill Strickland years later. Seeing Jane Jacobs talk at the New York Public Library was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments I'll never forget. And Kunstler's TED talk is still one of my very favorites ever.
These folks are like my "Dream Team" cabinet if I was ruler of the universe. I keep their words close for inspiration.
These folks are like my "Dream Team" cabinet if I was ruler of the universe. I keep their words close for inspiration.
On Beauty
by Bill Strickland (TED Talk, 2002)
"People are a function of their environment. Everyone deserves beauty, not just rich people."
On Suburban Sprawl
"Dissecting Suburbia" (19:48)
by James Howard Kunstler (TED Talk, 2004)
"The suburbs are the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of mankind."
On Environmental Justice
by Majora Carter (TED Talk, 2006)
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Oppose destruction with creation."
On Urban Planning
by Jaime Lerner (TED Talk, 2007)
"The city is not the problem, it's the solution. Not only for a country, but for the problem of climate change."
On Sustainable Design
"Cradle to Cradle Design" (20:03)
by William McDonough (TED Talk, 2005)
"What we seek is a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world, with clean water, air, soil and power, that is economically, equitably, ecologically, and elegantly enjoyed."
On Creativity
"Nurturing Creativity" (19:32)
by Elizabeth Gilbert (TED Talk, 2009)
"You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight."
On Architecture
"The Rural Studio" (4:39)
by Samuel Mockbee (Interview, 2000)
"Architecture has to be greater than just architecture. It has to address social values.”
On Cities
by Jane Jacobs (Interview)
"We do need places to come together. Casual encounters with one another are important in learning trust, and learning to be civilized in the use of the public space.”
