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ARCH 3756 – Public Interest Design: Principles and Practices School of Architecture College of Design University of Minnesota Spring Module 2017 v.1.0

Instructor Jim Lutz Lecturer 612.626.2482 lutzx120@umn.edu Rapson 151 N Time: TBA Location: TBA Credits: 3 Prerequisites: None Office hours: TBA Introduction As the allied fields of design evolve in response to an increasing number of global challenges – inequity, social and political turmoil, disruptive climate-change, accelerating population growth – the question of how designers will address the needs of the most vulnerable among us is fundamental. Public Interest Design (PID), an emerging area of specialization within the design professions, specifically considers the concerns of the vast majority of the world’s inhabitants who are historically under-resourced and ill-equipped to respond to the “Grand Challenges” facing humankind. With this mind, this introductory survey course has two aims: First, to critically examine the range of environmental, economic, social, and ethical issues that underpins work with under-resourced domestic and international communities – including how these concerns can be collectively addressed to become more resilient; and second, to investigate organizational models that seek to broaden the traditional scope of the allied design fields as disciplines and professions by advocating a humanitarian basis for practice.

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Content Seven key topics will be addressed over the course of the term:

� Background: What was the genesis of Public Interest Design? How has the field evolved since its inception? Where does it appear to be heading? Who and what were the forces at play that initially shaped it? How did similar efforts in other disciplines impact the field?

� Ethics: Are designers under an ethical mandate to address the needs of the entire socio-economic spectrum? What are some of the possible ethical pitfalls associated with working across cultural boundaries? With respect to work undertaken in developing nations, is this a new form of colonialism? How does the concept of a humanitarian basis for practice fundamentally shift the profession and academy?

� Equity and Community Engagement: What are the similarities and differences between PID and conventional projects in terms of top/down and bottom/up structures? How are legitimate stakeholders identified in the design process? How is consensus reached? Who is ultimately responsible for making decisions in such a process? What challenges do language and cultural differences play?

� Domestic Practices: What differentiates domestic PID work from traditional practice? Does this inherently pit PID initiatives against conventional practice? How do designers communicate the value of design to historically under-resourced communities?

� International Practices: What are some of the issues associated with working with foreign cultures? What are the technical challenges in working in areas with limited or non-existent infrastructure? What role does educating the stakeholders play in the process? What kind of specialized knowledge base and skill sets are necessary to undertake this work?

� Resilience and Crisis Response: What role can designers play in proactive design in terms of mitigating disasters and responding to humanitarian crises? What role can designers have in post-disaster recovery and reconstruction efforts? Do designers have a place in the rescue phase of disaster response? Does this make issues make designers advocates as well as practitioners?

� Practice Models: Is there a sustainable business model for this type of practice or is it totally dependent on volunteerism? What kinds of problems do designers working globally in this arena encounter? In this context, is the ability to teach others to design as important as the practitioner’s own design abilities? Is it possible to use this form of practice as a means to incubate local design talent and spur community activism?

Course Objectives

� Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of Public Interest Design. � Explain the interdisciplinary nature of Public Interest Design and the importance of cross-

disciplinary collaboration in the process of design and realization. � Identify specific lessons learned from precedent studies with respect to cultural factors and

appropriate technologies. � Articulate the major concepts introduced through the readings and how they inform the PID

process. � Apply techniques for community engagement as a fundamental component of the design

process. University Student Learning Outcomes This course contributes to meeting the University’s Student Learning Outcomes in the following areas:

� Understand diverse philosophies and cultures within and across societies: The course focuses upon under-resourced communities at the local, regional, and national scales, as well as work with globally. The challenges of working with diverse cultures are addressed both ethically and pragmatically though lectures, discussions, readings, and assignments.

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� Can communicate effectively: The course contributes to developing communication skills through in-class discussions, written assignments, and oral presentations to peers and guest reviewers. Students are required to demonstrate critical thinking in structuring their arguments.

Format The educational objectives for the course are addressed through:

� Lectures: Illustrated lectures by the instructor and invited guests will address the primary topics of the course. The first meeting of the class each week will introduce the topic, followed by a discussion of the corresponding readings. The second class meeting of the week will feature guest speakers addressing specific aspects of the broader subject in greater detail. The second half of those sessions will center on discussions of readings selected by the guests, including discussions initiated by questions developed by the students.

� Readings: While there is no course text, articles and essays drawn from a variety of

sources are assigned (refer to the course schedule). Electronic copies of the required essays and articles will be made available through the course Moodle site. Assigned readings must be completed prior to the corresponding class meeting.

On average, the required readings are comprised of approximately 10-12 pages per class meeting.

� Assignments: Six one-page (500-600 word) reflections on the assigned readings are due as

per the course schedule. In addition, 3-4 questions based on the readings and posed by the student will be used as the basis for student-led discussions.

� Term project: Individuals or teams of two students will develop brief visual and verbal

presentations based on the seven key topics addressed in the course – history, ethics, community engagement and equity, domestic practices, international practices, resilience and crisis response, and practice models. The ultimate intent is to produce a range of presentations providing an overview of the field of Public Interest Design that will be relevant to design professionals and laymen alike. The work may eventually be compiled into a course document.

Attendance Attendance is mandatory for all lectures and field trips. Please come prepared, ready to participate in discussions and to ask questions, having completed the required readings and preparatory work for the session in advance. Punctuality is important as a means of minimizing class disruptions. Excused Absences The College of Design policy for legitimate absences states: “Students shall not be penalized for absences due to unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Such circumstances include, but are not limited to: verified illness, participation in intercollegiate athletic events or other group activities sponsored by the University, subpoenas, jury duty, military service, and religious observances. Students are responsible for providing documentation to the instructor to verify the reason for the absence.” This policy does not extend to voting in local, state or national elections. In case of an unplanned absence or emergency, contact the instructor immediately, ideally before the class period missed, otherwise as soon afterward as possible. All absences will be considered unexcused unless students complete the required form and submit the stipulated documentation. Any student with three or more unexcused absences may be asked to withdraw from the course if the instructor feels that the student is falling too far behind.

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Grading Grades are based on the number of points earned as a percentage of the total number of points possible. The University of Minnesota Senate mandated “+/-“ grading system will be used with the A-F grades in this course. More information: http://policy.umn.edu/education/gradingtranscripts Reading reflections/discussion questions: 120 (6 @ 20 points each, S/N) Participation 35 Term project 145 300 Total points possible Participation: Regular, meaningful contributions to classroom discussion; consistent positing of questions germane to the topic; active engagement during fieldtrips; contributions to team projects A – Excellent work that not only fulfills the objectives outlined in the course syllabus and the project and assignment requirements, but extends the work through new discoveries, insights, and by proposing issues beyond the stated scope. A 93.34 – 100% A- 90.00 – 93.33 B – Very good work that not only fulfills the stated objectives outlined in the course syllabus and the project and assignment requirements, but also further expands the stated issues by allowing those issues to direct the investigations and developments in the work. B+ 86.68 – 89.99 B 83.34 – 86.67 B- 80.00 – 83.33 C – Adequate work that fulfills and clearly demonstrates the stated objectives of the course syllabus and project assignments. C+ 76.68 – 79.99 C 73.34 – 76.67 C- 70.00 – 73.33 D – Deficient work that does not demonstrate how the stated objectives of the course syllabus, project and assignment requirements have been fulfilled. D 60.00 – 69.00 F 59.99 and below As per University policy, “All grades for academic work are based on the quality of the work submitted, not on hours of effort.” Detailed information about grading criteria for each of the assignments will be provided at the time they are issued. Students are responsible for all information disseminated in class and all course requirements including deadlines and examinations. All assignments must be turned in, even if the lateness of the work precludes points being earned, in order to pass the class. Incomplete Work Per university policy, a grade of “Incomplete” can only be assigned “at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances (as determined by the instructor), the student who has successfully completed a substantial portion of the course’s work with a passing grade was prevented from completing the work of the course on time.” In such a s case, the instructor will specify the due dates and other conditions for resolving the Incomplete. Grades of Incomplete

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will automatically lapse to an “F” after one year from the end of the course, unless the instructor agrees to an extension, which will be limited to no more than one year. Extra Credit Work There are no opportunities for extra credit work in this course. Late Work Each assignment is due at the beginning of class on the specified date or it will be considered late. Late work will be accepted without penalty only in cases of documented legitimate absences as defined above. If you anticipate a legitimate absence on a day something is due, make arrangements to turn the work in early. Late work otherwise turned in will be lowered one-half grade for each calendar day that it is late (i.e., from an “B+” to an “B-“, if submitted late on the due date; from a “B+” to a “B-” if turned in the day following the due date, and so forth). All assignments must be completed and turned in, regardless of whether credit is earned or not due to extreme lateness, in order to receive a passing grade for the course. Texts Required: There is no required text for the course. Refer to: Format – Readings, above. Recommended: Refer to the course bibliography. Required Materials Some assignments may require specific, readily available materials. These items will be made known in advance of the assignment being issued. Course Moodle Site A Moodle site has been established for this course. Relevant course materials will be posted there. All students registered for the class will automatically have access to the site. Access the site via the myU portal: Go to <http://myu.umn.edu> or go directly to the site’s homepage, <https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id+13091>. Please check the “Today’s Announcements” section of the course webpage on a regular basis for changes and updates. Student Workload The University guidelines concerning student workload states: “For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to achieve an average grade in the course.” For this course, students can expect to have approximately six contact hours per week during the module, plus an additional twelve hours of reading/assignment preparation. The readings and assignments have been designed to fit this expectation. Be mindful of potential conflicts with studio deadlines and due dates in other classes and plan your work accordingly. Academic Policies Academic policies for this course, including but not limited to: accommodations for students with disabilities, statements on classroom conduct, statements regarding sexual harassment, and academic integrity, can be found at: <http://www.umn.edu/usenate/usen.usenpol.html>.

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Classroom misconduct, violation of academic integrity, sexual harassment, and issues concerning students with disabilities should be reported to the College of Design’s Director of Student Services. General Classroom Requirements

� The use of laptops in the classroom is not permitted. � All notes must be taken manually. All personal electronics (i.e., cell phones, etc.) must be

switched off and put away during class. Scholastic Misconduct All students are responsible for conduct in conformance with the University of Minnesota Student Conduct Code. Scholastic misconduct is broadly defined as “any act that violates the right of another student in academic work or that involves misrepresentation of your own work. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not necessarily limited to: cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing, which means misrepresenting as your own work any part of work done by another; submitting the same paper, or substantially similar papers, to meet the requirements of more than one course without the approval and consent of all instructors concerned; depriving another student of necessary course materials; or interfering with another student’s work.” Intellectual Property The College of Design has the right to retain any student project whether it is for display, accreditation, archive, documentation or any other educational or legal purpose. In addition, the College of Design reserves the right to reproduce and publish images of any student work in collegiate publications, printed or electronic, for the purpose of research scholarship, reaching publicity and outreach, giving publication credit to the creator/student. Sexual Harassment University policy prohibits sexual harassment as defined in the December 1998 policy statement, available at the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Questions or concerns about sexual harassment should be directed to this office, located in 419 Morrill Hall. Students with Disabilities This syllabus can be made available in alternative formats upon request; contact the instructor for facilitation. Students with diagnosed and documented disabilities that affect their ability to fully participate in class or to meet all course requirements are encouraged to bring this to the attention of their instructor so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged. Further information is available from Disabilities Services (230 McNamara). Critique and Evaluation Students will critique the course near the end of the semester through the University’s evaluation process. Please be frank in making your assessment of the class. Subject to Change With the exception of the grading and attendance policies, parts of this syllabus are subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

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Schedule ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 01 Class 1 Course Overview and Introduction Required Readings: Infographic: Public Interest Design <http://www.archdaily.com/239913/infographic-public-interest-design/> Good Design: A public interest movement redefines architecture – Stephanie Garlock How Architecture Can Regain Its Social Significance – Sam Jacob You Can Do Better – Bruce Mau Finding Your Path in Social Impact Design – Nicole Joslin Optional Readings: The Struggle for Architecture’s Soul – James Russell Architecture Continues to Implode: More Insiders Admit The Profession Is Failing – Justin Shubow Notes: Term Project assigned Class 2 A Brief History of Public Interest Design Guest Speaker: Jessica Horstkotte, HGA Architects Amy Douma, HGA Architects Required Readings and Viewings: Classic Architecture with a Social Agenda – Michelle Miller After the Meltdown: Where does Architecture go from here? – Vanessa Quirk Designing for the Public and You – Alexandra Rice Public Interest Design Takes Shape – Bryan Bell Notes: Mock debate teams and topics assigned for Class 4 Review mock debate protocol ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 02 Class 3 Ethical Issues Required Readings: Professional Responsibility and Ethics – Thomas Fisher Is There a Right to Architecture? – Thomas Fisher Architecture, Big-A and Little-a – Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson Notes: Reading Reflection #1 due

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Class 4 Ethical Issues Required Readings: Keynote Address to the American Institute of Architects Convention (with notes) -- Whitney M. Young, Jr. 2012 Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct – The American Institute of Architects Universal Declaration of Human Rights – United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Infographic) – United Nations Human Rights and the United Nations Optional Readings: Ban vs. Schumacher: Should Architects Assume Social Responsibility? – Rennie Jones To Build or Not to Build: Architecture, Ethics, and Politics – Aaron Betsky When Buildings Are Political, Should Architects Be Politicians? – Hanna Kozlowska Ethics, Geopolitics, and Architecture – Ned Cramer “We cannot absolve ourselves of responsibility for the implications of a project” – Dezeen The Ethicist – William Richards Diplomacy by Design – Nate Berg Weapons, Bribes, and Dictators: Where Architects Draw the Line Readings for Mock Debate: The Architect’s Responsibilities Why the Louvre Abu Dhabi is worth celebrating, despite its dark side – Jonathan Jones Is the Louvre Abu Dhabi Worth Celebrating? – Nicholas Korody The Zaha Hadid lawsuit and the critic’s responsibility – David L. Ulin Case Closed: Zaha Hadid v. New York review of Books and Martin Filler - Suzanne Stephens & Anna Fixsen North Koreans working as ‘state-sponsored slaves’ in Qatar – Pete Pattisson What is Frank Gehry Doing About Labor Conditions in Abu Dhabi? – Anna Fixsen Site Unseen – Anna Fixsen Dying for Soccer: Should Architects Speak Out About Working Condition in Qatar? – Frances Anderton Architect Says Deadly World Cup Working Conditions Aren’t Her Problem In Abu Dhabi, they call it Happiness Island. But for the migrant workers, it is a place of misery – Glenn Carrick and David Batty Readings for Mock Debate: Architects and Prisons Should Architects Follow a Code of Ethics? – Rory Stott An Architect’s Code – Roman Mars

(podcast version: http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-80-an-architects-code/) What Kind of Prison Might the Inmates Design? – Lee Romney Is it Ethical for Architects to Build Solitary Confinement Cells? – Whitney Mallet AIA Rejects Ethics Amendment – Zachary Edelson This architect might change the way you think about solitary confinement – Jessica Pishko Architects and torture: What color is your waterboard? – Raphael Sperry Architecture & Human Rights: AIA Rejects Controversial Ethic Amendment – Holly Gierman Tough Cell: Architects’ involvement in prison design – Mimi Zeiger To End Solitary Confinement, Rikers Steps Out Of The Box – NPR Staff Prison Architecture and the Question of Ethics – Michael Kimmelman Death by Design: An Execution Chamber at San Quentin State Prison – Raphael Sperry In St. Louis, Architects, Administrators and an Ex-con Debate Best Design for Prisons – St. Louis Dispatch Optional Readings: In New Orleans, Katrina Victims Live Out Hollywood Eco-Agenda – Byron York If You Rebuild It, They May Not Come – New Republic Notes: Reading reflection #2 due

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 03 Class 5 Equity and Community Engagement Guest Speakers: Virajita Singh, College of Design James Wheeler, School of Architecture Required Readings: Design Thinking for Social Innovation – Tim Brown & Jocelyn Wyatt Others as selected by guest speaker Class 6 Equity and Community Engagement Guest Speaker: Carrie Ann Christensen, Creative CityMaking Required Readings and Viewing: Human Centered Design Toolkit: http://www.ideo.com/work/human-centered-design-toolkit/ Institute for Human Centered Design: http://humancentereddesign.org/ Design Kit: http://www.designkit.org/ TED Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/david_kelley_on_human_centered_design Others as selected by guest speakers Optional Readings: Equity – or the Lack Thereof – in Architecture – Wanda Lau The Rich Get Richer – and More Educated – Gillian B. White Capitalism simply isn’t working and here are the reasons why – Will Hutton Stop adding up the wealth of the poor – Felix Salmon Income Gap, Meet the Longevity Gap – Annie Lowrey A Top-Heavy Focus on Income Inequality – Sendhil Mullainathan Kashef Chowdhury: An Architecture of Resistance – The Architectural Review Notes: Reading reflection #3 due Reflection on “If You Build It” documentary due ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 04 Class 7 Domestic Practices Guest Speakers: Dan Handeen, Center for Sustainable Building Research Chad Dipman, Habitat for Humanity MN Sishir Chang, Tim Jordan, Rebecca Staley, Architecture for Humanity MN John Dwyer, Dunwoody College Required Readings and Viewings: Habitat for Humanity – Twin Cities: http://www.tchabitat.org/ Architecture for Humanity – Minneapolis/St. Paul: http://minneapolis.architectureforhumanity.org/

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Class 8 Domestic Practices Guest Speaker: Tom Fisher Professional Responsibility and Ethics – Thomas Fisher Is There a Right to Architecture? – Thomas Fisher Architecture, Big-A and Little-a – Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson Notes: Reading reflection #4 due. Preliminary draft of term project due ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 05 Class 9 International Practices Guest Speakers: Matt Tierney, MS-RP Candidate Claire Lonsbury, Kodet Architectural Group Brice Aarrestad, M.Arch Candidate Guari Kelkar, MS-SD Candidate Readings: Haiti “Pain Rush” – Ezili Dantò I Came to Haiti to Do Good … -- Nora Schenkel Shade of Meaning: Clinic in Turkana, Kenya, by […] MIT students – Tomà Berlanda Class 10 International Practices Guest speaker: Daniel Wordsworth, American Refugee Committee Required Readings and Viewings: American Refugee Committee: www.arcrelief.org Is Humanitarian Design the New Imperialism – Bruce Nussbaum The White-Savior Industrial Complex – Teju Cole Others as selected by guest speaker Optional Readings: Billions Go To Victims Of Disaster And Disease, Does It Really Help? – Nurith Alzenman UN sounds alarm over killings of aid workers How to Balance Local traditions and New Solutions in Public-Interest Design – Vanessa Quirk The End of the ‘Developing World’ Notes: Field trip to American Refugee Committee Offices; arrive by 3:00pm, depart 4:45pm Notes: Reading reflection #5 due

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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 06 Class 11 Resilience and Crisis Response Guest speakers: Richard Graves, Center for Sustainable Building Research Sam Carlsen, Rose Fellow, St. Paul Riverfront Corporation Stephen Klimck, Rose Fellow, Cornerstone Group James Arentson, Rose Fellow, Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership Abbie Loosen, Rose Fellow, PPL Learning Center Required Readings: Enterprise Rose Architectural Fellowship: http://www.enterprisecommunity.com/ The UN’s New Focus: Surviving, Not Stopping< Climate Change – Uri Freidman and Svati Kirsten Narula Resilient Building Design: Is Resilience The New Sustainability – Jill Fehrenbacher Growing Clamor About Inequities of Climate Crisis – Steven Lee Myers and Nicholas Kulish Others as selected by guest speaker Optional Readings: Relief Proceeds Slowly in Philippines, Where A Death Toll Remains Unclear – Keith Bradsher, Austin Ramzy Logistical Hurdles Paralyze Relief Effort at the Center of a Typhoon’s Fury – Keith Bradsher, Rick Gladstone Class 12 Resilience and Crisis Response Guest Speakers: Erin Coryell, Margaret M. Cargill Foundation Carissa Shively Slotterback, Humphrey School of Public Affairs Required Readings: The Architecture of Disaster Recovery – Marie Aquilino, Deborah Gans, Robin Cross, et al The Culture of Disaster – Maggie Koerth-Baker Resilience Thinking – Michael Bauwens Others as selected by guest speakers Optional readings: Life After Ebola: What It Takes For A Village To Be Resilient – Laura Starecheski Avoiding the Next Disaster – Karl Johnson Notes: Reading reflection #6 due ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 07 Class 13 Practice Models Guest speakers: Poul Bertelsen, MSAADA Architects John Carmody, Emeritus Director CSBR Rick Hintz, Perkins+Will Kristen Salkas, Alliiance

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Frieda von Qualen, UMN Peace Corps Campus Representative Required Readings and Viewing: MSAADA Architects: http://msaada.com/ Peace Corps at UMN: http://www.umabroad.umn.edu/students/choosingprogram/wiv/peacecorps/ Class 14 Term Project Presentations (Part 1) Guests: Invited faculty members and guests Readings: None ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… Week 08 Class 14 – Wednesday, 13 May, 8:00-10:00 AM, Rapson 45 Term Project Presentations (Part 2) Guests: Invited faculty members and guests Readings: None Notes: Last class meeting