International Design

90-Minute Education Session

MON-A04 - Traversing the Line: On Spatial Borders and Social Equity

1.50 PDH, LA CES/HSW, AIA/non-HSW, AICP, FL, NY/HSW

Lead Speaker(s)

• 

  Maria Bellalta, ASLA

  Dean/Faculty
  Boston Architectural College

Speaker(s)

• 

  Niall Kirkwood

  Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Technology
  Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
• 

  Lina Escobar

  Director, Master's program in Landscape Architecture
  Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Escuela de Diseño y Arquitectura
• 

  Francisco Luna

  ceo
  buro verde arquitectura sc

In this political climate, borders provoke design discourse with lively debate, evidenced through conflicts at the U.S./Mexico border, through the contentious Brexit referendum, and through increasing “America First” narratives. This panel considers the power of design in bridging divisions across spatial and social borders that unite rather than separate us.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the conception of borders, both spatial and social, as exacerbated by our current political climate.
• Discuss the impacts of political agendas, nationalism, and isolationism on the manifestation of border tensions; examples from U.S./Mexico, Ireland/Northern Ireland, and Colombia.
• Deliberate the state of social equity in an era of increasing divisions, both social and spatial.
• Consider the role of spatial design in alleviating conflicts across physical and social barriers; the river as border, invisible borders, geographical edges, and political divisions.