KATIE HART & DESIGN
MY
PHILOSOPHY
In the final year of my undergraduate studies, I took advantage of an amazing opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy through FSU. Everywhere you look there is a historic building. I looked at how a community continues to live and work within buildings, most that are older than the colonial history of my own country, and wonder why there is so much building, then tearing down and rebuilding going on in my surroundings back home. Why do we continue to cut down trees and build, when there are so many perfectly good buildings standing empty? I then realized the importance of preservation efforts, and timeless, sustainable design efforts. I feel that understanding and preserving historical resources plays a direct role in attaining a sustainable future. I am interested in exploring ways the built environment can encourage and allow sustainable behaviors and lifestyles. The spaces we shape play an important role in the way we feel and how we live.
Today we find ourselves in a very unique time in history. We are no longer ignorant of the harmful outcomes of the industrial revolution and how we got here. I believe that designers have an important role in this era of informed and sustainable decision making. Designers, at their core, are problem solvers. I believe that we are in a powerful position to lead clients and colleagues in a movement to preserve the resources we have whenever possible, lay the foundation for a sustainable future, and maintain the sense of place and unique identity of each community.