Architecture is more than just space; it pushes, pulls, influences, and confronts the human spirit. In this—as in an interrogation by a deft investigator seeking truth—architecture provokes emotions, memories, and reactions in those who dwell within. It is at the heart of my dream—through the lens of buildings, the journey of the human experience, through building, to empathy.

Bringing this vision to life requires partnership. Architecture is a team sport by nature, dependent on the unique expertise of engineers, designers, contractors, and clients. Having a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences means that designers can come together to bring their differing perspectives to the table. Without collaboration, this intrinsic emotional response is weakened and its potential squandered.

One of the most daunting yet necessary parts of the profession is presenting architectural concepts to a broad audience. The vulnerability of subjecting an individual vision to the scrutiny of others is a kind of emotional confrontation that architecture itself offers. It is a fear of judgment, yes, but pushing past the fear is necessary for good communication and advocacy. A building must weather the storms it was designed to withstand, and similarly, an architect must be able to stand behind the choices they made, even when those choices are being criticized. Presenting and defending ideas helps the architect produce a working knowledge of their own work and increases their ability to touch people’s emotional state.

My view of architecture is really about how it has the ability to challenge and produce emotion. It demands the willingness to collaborate, to take on their different ways of looking at things to build environments that meaningfully connect with users. Indicating ideas with bodies, a most fearful act, is at the threshold of further elaboration of this idea; refinement and communication will make it even richer and more interesting and will be a vision that can finally lead to greater clarity and importance.