(POSTPONED) Social Capital & Urban Transformation

Social Capital and Your City (POSTPONED)

Lecture by Geeta Mehta, founder and president of Asia Initiatives and Adjunct Professor at Columbia GSAPP

Architecture and urban design are social acts, so must have a social purpose that should be central to any design. Geeta challenges the current practice where developers accept or reject proposals based upon financial bottom lines alone. Along with an “environment impact statement”, she proposes that a “social impact statement” also be required of projects in order to preserve and nurture the most precious asset of cities- their Social Capital. The requirement to report the financial, social and environmental bottom line of all projects will help make our cities more equitable. Geeta will present examples of this concept from her field projects in India, Ghana and Kenya.