Theme

For the People, By the People

We build for people, yet the focus in construction is often technical. We forget that the construction phase is the exception and daily life is the norm. We look at houses and not the life between them. As a result, we as an industry overlook the fact that change is not only about what is logical and profitable, but also about what is desirable and meaningful to individuals.

At Smith, we focus on the social and cultural frameworks that cities and construction are built upon and contribute to. What motivates people? What makes people act and what keeps them from acting? What creates value (rather than growth)? What is the role of not only the measurable but also the perceptible? How do we understand the world and our role in it? What do we, individually and collectively, perceive as our responsibility and how do we percieve our room for action?

Planetary boundaries are not a matter of opinion. However, all change is ultimately about meaning. The greatest threat to planetary transition is not a lack of collective purpose, but a lack of personal meaning and belief. The horizons for a sustainable and attractive future must converge - for everyone. We need solutions that leave no one behind. Solutions that focus on equality and participation, where sustainable transformation uplifts everyone and where everyone contributes to sustainable transformation.

Planetary transition is about understanding that humanity is not the centre of the universe, and that there is no future for us if there is no future for the rest of the planet. At the same time, it is about acknowledging that these changes has to be made by us and thereby depends on desires as much as data.