Evidenced Based Design

We've left the world Newtonian certainty and now surf in a sea of change. It's interesting that the path recommended by AIA is "Evidenced Based Design." Here are some excerpts from:

Four Levels of Evidence-Based Practice
By D. Kirk Hamilton, FAIA, FACHA

"The growing trend toward evidence-based design involves design work that is informed by data from a variety of sources. It is also a natural analog to the evidence-based decision making of our clients."

"Entering Harvard medical students are reportedly told, “Half of what you will learn is wrong, but we don’t yet know which half.” As new environmental studies are published, some decisions may be questioned, but conscientious architects will experience fewer doubts as they increase the percentage of decisions based on research. Environmental research is more likely to result in performance guidelines than in prescriptive regulation."

Click here to link to the whole article.

My take away:

Environments by definition are contextual - specific to the need and mix of people they address. Universal principles - aren't, when it comes to contextual application. Evidence based design requires a deep level of expertise - not only conceptual and intellectual - but client and project expertise.

Firms will prosper by becoming experts and demonstrating the value of that expertise.