Architects should consider how their buildings affect the way people live. They need to create spaces that help to improve social well-being, promote inclusivity, and encourage equity in the community. Buildings should have safe and inclusive public spaces that promote social change. 

Erecting new buildings or renovating existing ones can revitalize a community. Architects can refresh a community that has been in decline, creating a more vibrant environment for its members.  For example, the Social Bite Village in Scotland addresses homelessness by providing shelter for people transitioning from living on the streets.  In addition to shelter, residents are surrounded by a supportive community and offered training opportunities to help them seek employment.  This community also creates a sense of dignity for its new members. 

Repurposed buildings can play a role in community revitalization. Take the example of the Stony Island Arts Bank in Chicago. This building was built in 1923 but had been vacant since the 1980s on the south side of Chicago.  In 2012, Theaster Gates bought the building for $1 from the city of Chicago. Through his non-profit organization, he converted the abandoned bank into an art gallery, library, and center for the surrounding African American community. Details of the building’s history remain intact to remind the community of the building’s past. Thanks to the foundation’s efforts and a team of architects and engineers, this building now celebrates the African American culture on the south side of Chicago. 

Similarly, a project called City Thread turned an unused alley way in Chattanooga, Tennessee, into a busy public space. This project was part of River City Company’s investment in the revitalization of Chattanooga. Serving as a social connector, the project encourages individuals to come together to hang out informally and for public events. With its linear steel tubing, the project physically and symbolically connects individuals. The structure also breaks up the large alleyway into individual rooms. The use of the space is up to interpretation, calling the tenants and community to interact there for a variety of purposes. The project created a sense of urban excitement for a relatively small amount of money in a previously neglected and unused alleyway.

Finally, an example of socially responsible architecture would be Mohammed Rezwan’s design of floating schools in Bangladesh to ensure that rain and flooding don’t stop education. He designed classrooms on solar-powered boats; the boats also house small libraries and batteries for laptops. In the same vein, he designed medical clinics and playgrounds that also float on the river. The roofs and sides of the boats are made of bamboo. 

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