“We may all look different, but why are most of our experiences or journeys into the design world so similar? Is design becoming or championing an exclusive environment? How does diversity play a role in this?”
I was invited on the panel of this TU Delft BK Talks event aimed at evaluating the current situation and exploring future projections of how designers can and should address issues concerning diversity within the design of the built environment and within the profession.
The aim was “to explore the implicit biases built into our creative world that could easily result in a diminished opportunity to design a truly representational environment.”
Starting with a video showing a survey and poll of the TU Delft Architecture students on issues related to diversity, the discussion touched on issues such as privilege, sexuality and race. The intent was to draw parallels on these issues regarding the homogenisation of design education and what the consequences are later in practice.
Meat the Moderators and Panel
The evening was moderated by Technical University of Delft Architecture students: Tomi Akinyemi and Katherina Bruh, and facilitated by Javier Arpa Fernández, Research and education coordinator at the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft.
On the panel with me we had: Federico Ruiz Carvajal (TU Delft Urbanism student), Francine Houben (founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo), Lyongo Juliana (architect and director of OZ Caribbean) and Roberto Rocco (associate professor of spatial planning & strategy at TU Delft).