Pragmatic Visions

So much has happened since we sat down with LandDesign founder, Larry Best last week. The interview occurred the days following the murder of George Floyd but before the peaceful marches for racial justice that took place across the world. Larry founded LandDesign on the simple idea that great people, doing great work, would result in great places for all people to enjoy. Hearing him speak to the important responsibility designers have in shaping our current and future communities was a timely reminder of why we must be part of creating positive change.

Similar to past global crises, like 9/11, the Great Recession, and even as far back as WWII, COVID will create opportunity, or what Peter Crowley refers to as a, “new set of parameters.” These parameters will push us to rethink, innovate, and improve design to better benefit all people. Listen in as Peter shares his optimistic outlook on COVID-19 and the positive impact he believes the pandemic will have on the future of our world.

At LandDesign, we’ve been having conversations about COVID’s impact on the future of our practice, internal and external collaboration, and ultimately, the way we design. While we don’t have all the answers, we do have a lot of ideas and are thrilled to share these conversations with you through our podcast, Pragmatic Visions. 

In our industry, a change order can throw a design team for a loop, challenging the team to rethink their approach to a project. Similarly, COVID was a giant change order that impacted our day-to-day lives, requiring us to find new avenues to experience togetherness while in quarantine. Our first series, aptly named, Change Order, explores our reactions to the new normal, what hurdles we may expect, and the role of design in creating a more resilient world. Tune in as our thought leaders share their observations, opinions, and ideas during lockdown.