ABSTRACT
Given these observations about the limits of conventional public conversation about the built environment, we maintain that architectural judgment has a responsibility to advance regenerative design – broadly defi ned as design that goes beyond simply reducing negative ecological and social impacts by actually generating benefi ts and creating material, social, and ecological conditions in which life can fl ourish (see Figure 24.1 ). If architects are to meet this
challenge, they will need to participate in, and lead public conversations to catalyze, regenerative places. These public conversations will necessarily integrate more inclusive forms of qualitative and quantitative assessment into a regenerative dialogue where stakeholders can make sense of the rich complexity of particular places, imagine a life-enhancing future, and enact systemic change. In what follows we outline four characteristics of public conversation essential to the success of regenerative design and identify capacities required of facilitators and participants in these conversations. We then demonstrate that such regenerative dialogue is, indeed, possible, drawing from research in various social sciences and examples from regenerative design practice.
