ABSTRACT
Chapter 1.1 presents how, in Europe and North America, the architectural profession became home to a largely elite, male, and white majority, and how this has led to a cadre chiefly serving the interests of those with social and economic power.
The chapter begins by tracing the evolution of architecture and urban design and planning, from their professionalization in the nineteenth century to their development as part of a larger, late-capitalist system. Contrasting this professional approach with alternatives to built-environment design and production, Chapter 1.1 traces several current examples, examining how design questions are developed and how they are processed towards answers. Problems of data bias and the effects of cultural “blind spots” in the profession are discussed as barriers toward social sustainability and the inclusion of marginalized populations in design and planning processes.
