Panel 2: Systems Infrastructure
Michael Jones One of the things that distinguished your journey this morning was the fact that—and this is where an architect can really have a bearing—you 46
are living in an urban model that enabled you to travel on a transit system that was enjoyable, on time… Tom Keane …kind of enjoyable… Michael Jones …quasi-reliable, whatever you want to say. But you are living in a setting that is enjoyable; it’s a great city to be in, and it’s got a certain critical mass and density. Those things were made enjoyable and agreeable for you by the creation of the environment in which everyone is living. Now that is something that an architect really can play a huge part in. Making cities by designing out the need for infrastructure is part of how we can minimize the amount of infrastructure that we actually physically need, yet still make an environment that’s incredibly livable and enjoyable. I think that’s a challenge that we can all rise to meet. So let’s try and remove the need to design a new car by creating other ways of living that don’t need a car. Maybe communication technology will evolve so far that we can communicate without having to travel. It’s a multifaceted thing, but let’s try to remove some of the need—this would be a good start for architects. Kazys Varnelis There is a role for architects in politics. It could be a good thing if more people who are trained as architects go out and engage in politics. Why shouldn’t there be a policy of architects going out there? That’s where we need to seize the prey, first of all. And, secondly, because I think that sitting by ourselves in this room we have a very limited audience. I don’t know if any of you in the audience are perhaps major owners of private types of infrastructural systems or run major government infrastructure systems beyond those already invited to the symposium, but those people are out there and it’s important to talk to them.