Public process improves design
In a recent interview published on ArchNewsNow.com, Barbara talks about her original reason for writing about public process, and the lessons she learned while working on the book:
When I started the book, I was more interested in testing whether the public process actually homogenizes a design. Does it lower the quality of design? Many landscape designers and architects say yes. But in the end, after speaking with the design professionals in depth and looking at all these case studies, I came to the conclusion that the public process helps design. Perhaps in the old days it was sort of a panacea. You know, “We’ll put it up to the public, we’ll see what they say, and then we’ll do whatever we want.” That’s not true anymore. I think it’s important, especially for designers, to leave behind a project that people feel they have something invested in it. It makes the project more successful.