And so we begin …

I approached this inquiry knowing I’d likely come away with more questions than answers, but as is often the case, the power was in asking the questions themselves.

What are the opportunities and critical elements of the built environment to provide or enable experiences of belonging? What conditions contribute to humans feeling connected to their built surroundings? What is the role of the built environment in identity, emotional security, representation? As cities continue to grow, how can architects, designers, city planners, policy makers respond equitably, responsibly, sustainably, and on behalf of the whole of a city’s citizens? What might it mean to create spaces where every person who enters feels as though they belong?

To ask a space how it fosters belonging is to question whether it achieves physical and emotional safety, barrier-free sensibilities, a certain relatability, an honest yet aspirational reflectivity. It is to carefully consider how each element, spanning from the tactile to organizational, contributes to an environment that is adaptable, accessible, equitable.