As the first female principals at Bora Architecture, Amy Donohoe and Jeannie Lai champion justice-oriented design, making educational spaces innovative, inclusive, and inspirational. They sat down with us to talk about their personal and professional journeys and the importance of design justice, equity, and community engagement in architecture. We hear about the challenges of a male-dominated industry, the historical lack of diversity in architecture, the importance of recognizing and addressing biases in design, and creating inclusive spaces that prioritize the needs of both staff and clients. They highlight the transformative power of critical race theory in shaping their design process and creating more inclusive spaces as well as the challenges of letting go of control as designers. We also hear examples of projects that have pushed the boundaries of traditional architecture and involved the community in decision-making. This episode offers inspiration on centering community members’ experiences to create spaces that promote collaboration, engagement, and interconnectedness.
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