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Whose problem is it when the building doesn’t work? with Michael Guido
July 30, 2025 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT
“Whose problem is it when the building doesn’t work?“- architect – builder – government oversight – bylaws.
This lecture examines responsibility in the face of building failures and urban dysfunction, asking who is to blame when structures fall short—structurally, socially, or environmentally. It explores the roles of architects, builders, regulators, and municipal systems through case studies that reveal how misaligned priorities, weak oversight, and poor communication can lead to flawed outcomes.
Projects discussed include the Sydney Opera House, Walkie Talkie Building, John Hancock Tower, Vdara Hotel, Scottish Parliament, Pruitt-Igoe, Millennium Dome, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, Stata Center, and the Philharmonie de Paris.
The session encourages critical reflection on accountability in the built environment and how it can be improved.
In the series:
July 16: Foundations of Innovation: Early Canadian Modern Architecture (1920–1970)
July 23: Reframing Modernism: Canadian Architecture from 1970 to 2020
July 30: Whose problem is it when the building doesn’t work?
Presenter
