Social Science and Architecture

We’re pleased to have welcomed Victoria Lanteigne, PhD, WELL AP, founder of the Building Equity Standard, to our latest committee meeting—a framework designed to embed equity throughout the design process. Victoria shared how the standard supports teams in translating equity goals into design outcomes through adaptable tools, community-driven guidelines, and measurable benchmarks. While its primary focus is on guiding the design process from the outset, the framework can also be used to assess completed projects. She shared powerful examples, including a school modernization in East Austin and the redesign of Harvey Milk Plaza in San Francisco—demonstrating how structured equity strategies can lead to more inclusive, accountable, and meaningful spaces. Victoria’s talk pushed us to reflect on how equity shows up in our work—and reminded us that making it real means making it intentional, every step of the way.

At our monthly committee meeting, Ana Rolim, PhD, shared her research on how museum layouts shape visitor behavior. By combining Space Syntax with cognitive neuroscience, Ana’s work revealed how spatial design affects movement, attention, and interaction within galleries. Through VR simulations and computational analysis, she provided valuable insights into how architectural design influences human experience. We’re grateful to Ana for offering such a thought-provoking session, inspiring us with new perspectives on the powerful connection between space and behavior, leaving us with much to consider and discuss moving forward.

Today, at our Social Science and Architecture Committee meeting, we had the privilege of hearing from Michelle Marshall, NCIDQ of Humble Design. Humble Design goes beyond furnishing homes—they offer a holistic approach that includes not only designing and providing essential items but also mentorship, life skills coaching, and connections to community resources. This comprehensive support helps families transition out of homelessness and rebuild their lives with stability and dignity. A huge thank you to Michelle for sharing this inspiring work with us!

Join us at our AIANY Cross-Committee Happy Hour, December 12, from 5:30–8:00 pm!

Daltile/Marazzi Studio, 49 East 21st Street. RSVP here.

by Rebecca Lipsitch

In the wake of revelations about hidden labor abuses in certified industries, Melissa Marsh, founder and CEO of PLASTARC, moderated a crucial panel discussion on “Action and Impacts to Advance Equity.” This event marked the final installment of the three-part series “Forced Labor in Supply Chains,” which was inspired by the work of the Design for Freedom movement at Grace Farms aimed at eliminating forced labor in building material supply chains.

The three panelists brought together an assortment of diverse perspectives. Sara Grant an architect, planner, and partner at MBB Architects, is focused on creating equitable, healthy and sustainable environments. Billie Faircloth is the co-founder and research director of the Built Buildings Lab, which highlights the value of existing buildings in the public consciousness, global sustainability practice, and policymaking. Pins Brown is a seasoned expert in business and human rights with 25 years of global experience, focusing on improving working conditions across diverse industries, and is currently a freelance consultant on business and human rights and the Chair of the UK-based Food Network for Ethical Trade.

A key takeaway from the panel is the need to address forced labor throughout a building’s entire lifecycle. Just as environmental impact is assessed across the full supply chain, we must examine each stage—from material extraction to construction—to effectively combat forced labor in the building industry. Faircloth spoke about creating methods for designers to assess the risk or likelihood of forced labor in building materials manufacturing, and noted that a consistent challenge has been gaining a comprehensive view of the entire supply chain and creating measurement systems for each stage.

All three panelists emphasized the importance of taking action with available resources, despite complexity and uncertainty. Brown quoted tennis player Arthur Ashe : “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can,” stressing the need for simplicity to drive action. Grant reinforced this, highlighting architects’ and designers’ ability to make decisions amid complexity and without knowing “everything,” likening it to a good design process. The panelists agreed that to create meaningful, timely change, one must act on current information and make informed estimates, rather than waiting for perfect knowledge. They highlighted the importance of bottom-up approaches.

Grant stressed the need for everyday actions like auditing pay scales, compensating interns, and regularly checking for equity. This ensures organizations address immediate issues, while also tackling larger problems.

Similarly, all panelists, particularly Grant, highlighted the value of building diverse teams that include members from the communities being studied. Brown reinforced this point, explaining that workers often hesitate to answer survey questions, especially when unsure about the questioner’s motives. She noted that outsiders inquiring about worker safety can seem intrusive or even put workers at risk. Therefore, it is  critically important to hear directly from impacted communities,  despite the challenges in conducting such field research ethically and safely. Including team members who can relate to vulnerable employees is crucial for effective social safeguarding and gathering authentic insights.

During the Q&A portion, an audience member asked about technologies and methods used for gathering sensitive information and community perspectives, without direct interaction. Brown pointed towards the benefits of apps that both train and survey employees at the same time, in order to decrease fear and increase trust early on. Marsh highlighted Sourcemap, a software that does just that, by comprehensive supply-chain mapping, enabling companies to gain visibility and trace and verify their entire supply chain, from raw materials to finished products. Sarah Williams, of MIT’s Civic Data Design Lab, combines her expertise in computation and design to develop communication strategies that expose urban policy issues for wide audiences and promote civic engagement.

The panelists’ acknowledged that this is a complex challenge. Faircloth highlighted the value of being wrong, viewing it as a sign of asking the right questions. Grant invoked the Zen proverb, “Chop wood, carry water,” stressing the importance of daily, consistent effort. This philosophy underscores the need for persistent action, regardless of political shifts.

About the Author:
Rebecca Lipsitch is a socio spatial  intern at PLASTARC, entering her senior year of college at NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She appreciates the alignment of qualitative and quantitative research, is fascinated by how  human connection is impacted by the spaces we design and create, and hopes to create a more just and ethical society through design.