As we’ve learned, the Vanguard program is comprised of urban innovators from across the spectrum - urban planning and real estate to economic development and nonprofit management. We’d like to think that architects are seen as leaders of the built environment, but Karen pointed out that they “quickly dispensed of any titles. We were all listening to the smartest ideas and not thinking about who was saying it. The better ideas rose to the top and the others went away.” Gina also found that attendees came from a diverse professional background; no one was one thing or another. Gina herself has an undergraduate degree in architecture and graduate degree in landscape architecture, while others had some design mixed with policy. She noted that “It didn’t feel confined to specific roles; we were all interdisciplinary and conversant across disciplines.” Paola did recall some strong leadership from those with an architecture background, but more importantly that team members fell into roles that they felt natural in. In many ways, that led to a stepping in and stepping out that was very organic. She considered that a symptom of creative leadership. It allowed for moments or breaks where others could step in and take control, then step out and let another voice be heard. Karen credited the ability to be heard by the “slight majority of women that allowed everyone to have an equal voice. There was no dominant group. Without that, we might not have had everyone contribute.”
she works with partners including the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the NYC Department for the Aging on projects connecting design and policy. She is in charge of driving consensus of upwards of a dozen representatives from City agencies, nonprofits, and private practice. She said, “I find it similar to Vanguard in a way, but with a much longer time horizon.” She also stressed the importance of having the right attitude and the value of constraining time. Taking a page out of the Big Idea Challenge, although not as extreme, she actually has seen better results. Gina already had an interdisciplinary practice, so one of her key takeaways were the skills not learned in school. She stated that “We may collectively learn the theory behind a design or the technical methods of construction, but not how to facilitate a community conversation, manage people and teams or cultivate a practice. Opportunities like the Vanguard give training on skills one doesn’t get in school. As young professionals, seeing how others facilitate discussions and solve problems is very valuable. The more we can communicate with our communities and have them creatively engage with ideation, the stronger the ideas are.” To learn more about the Reno experience, check out this short video or hop over to Next City's Vanguard section of the website. ■
Going forward, Paola, Gina and Karen plan to use what they learned at the conference, particularly in the way of collaboration, in their practices. Paola is in the process of launching her new venture called Borderless Studio, a collaborative urban design practice. She stated that when many of the traditional allied disciplines get together they become comfortable. So she wants to explore what happens when you add the perspective of an ecologist or psychologist. That’s the next challenge and very much in line with the spirit of Vanguard. These true collaborations push the boundary of design. Since Vanguard, Karen has also forged her own practice where
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