
It’s hard not to have legacy on the brain after learning about a project like Moody Nolan’s Legacy House initiative, which will see the firm design and build 12 houses—one in every market in which it has an office—over 12 years, and donate each to a family in need (you can see the first completed house here). It is, in the purest form, an example of architects giving back to their communities with architecture. And it speaks to the power of design to make positive change in people’s lives.
The houses contribute to not only the legacy of the firm but also that of the owners, each of whom is receiving much more than shelter when they accept the keys. For a family experiencing homelessness, the sense of security in having a permanent residence can change the direction of their lives. But the Legacy House offers something that most affordable housing does not: equity. In a country with a long history of discriminatory housing practices built upon systemic racism, the ability to obtain a home loan is cruelly out of reach for the low-income families and communities of color that need it most. The equity a mortgage-free house provides is a stepping stone—one that can catalyze change for an individual, and through them, a community.
While giving away a house is out of reach for many firms, finding inventive ways to give back to communities through design can contribute to creating more equitable communities around the country. It might seem futile to focus on making the world a better place one intervention at a time, but those actions, says CEO Jonathan Moody, AIA, are like “a drop in the ocean that can begin to create waves.”
Whether it’s physically building a legacy of houses or metaphorically building one of social change, the status quo systems in place are clearly not enough. The recent calls to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in our society and in the field of architecture and design are no longer possible to ignore. And while dismantling systemic racism is urgent work, it will take time. In the feature well of this issue, we talk to architects, DEI experts, young professionals, and thought leaders to identify actions that individuals or companies can take to begin the process of enacting change. It is a discussion far too large for one issue, and one that we will continue to bring to these pages going forward. What is clear is this: If the design community—every individual, school, firm, and organization—works together with humility and a sustained commitment to action, incremental change can, and will, turn to waves of progress.
NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, knows that it will take the whole community to enact radical and necessary change in the profession, which is why in her essay “Will You Join Us?”, she sets a moonshot goal to double the percentage of Black licensed architects in the profession from the current 2% to 4% by 2030. This will require commitment to change, accessibility, and inclusivity at every step, and by every institution, on the road to licensure—yet, this will still fall far short of the 13% of the current U.S. population represented by Black people. But it is progress. After all, the best legacy an industry can have is proof of change for the better. We need to answer Dowdell’s call and be ALL in, together.