So, not surprisingly I was excited to see Renzo Piano's new wing for the Art Institute of Chicago. It is extraordinary, and part of how come Piano is considered to be one of the finest architects in the world.
In my professional life, on the other hand, I work with leader's of organizations, or I could just as easily say the architects of organizations, helping them express their own creativity in furthering their vision and commitments for their organization. In the process I encourage leaders to expand the arena in which they look to solve problems - go outside your industry, look at what is happening in other fields you can co-opt. I even encourage them to formulate new problems, as a context or catalyst for their creativity. Problems that will forward their businesses when the problem is solved.
So not surprisingly I was fascinated to see the possibility of architects having a hand in contributing to a breakthrough in one of the most troubling conditions of our time - obesity. I could see a fruitful collaboration between architecture and healthcare in this headline on Twine, "Change staircases' designs to fight obesity", from the Times of India. Like all insights, obvious after the fact.
If staircases were more accessible, and more attractive, we would be more likely to use them. And, if we used them more, as just one of the things we do in this culture, we may well be less obese.
I wonder how many ideation sessions on reducing obesity, or promoting healthier lifestyles, included asking architects to make stairs more enticing, more easy to find, more part of the fun experience of moving from one level of their buildings to another?
Now that would be a breakthrough.
