ABSTRACT
This paper posits the hypothosis that a significant amount of design 'review' occurs in an informal, but powerful, 'marketplace' setting, notwithstanding the need for offical approvals and organized oversight In the United States over 90% of the built environment is implemented by the market-based private setor and it is through this process of real estate development that 'design review' by financiers, leasing agents, attorneys, consultants, tenants, and developers occurs. These 'upstream' decision makers are most influential in setting the patterns for the built environment. Official design review occurs after many of these fundamental decisions have occured.
