Miller Hull

Design Partner Brian Court will be discussing, “Design Diplomacy: Cultural Assessment Strategies for Designing in Foreign Countries,” at the 2022 AIA National Conference.

The balance between cultural relativism and respectful vernacular appropriation in a modern/ contemporary way is a challenging problem to solve. The session will teach designers how and when to incorporate connotative elements into their design projects without culturally appropriating.Explore tools developed by the U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Building Operations to assist A/E firms in identifying the relevant connotative elements, cultural values, traditions, and lifestyle values to consider when designing in foreign countries.

Learning Objectives

• Define cultural appropriation, and describe the impacts on communities of inappropriate symbols in architecture.
• Understand connotative elements in design, and review examples of how symbology, materials, planting, and religion impact how people perceive spaces.
• Identify several cultural and socio-behavioral questions to consider during the design process, and learn how to identify culturally inappropriate items when designing in foreign countries.
• Understand through a pilot project how failing to identify inappropriate cultural symbols early in the design process costs time and money.

Other speakers include Curtis Clay, Director of Architecture – U.S. Department of State – Overseas Building Operations and Adaheid Mestad, Design Anthropologist – HGA / Co-Director, Design Insight Group.

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