picture of the Old Florida Packing Plant, a mixed use development in Winter Garden, Florida

Architecture has the power to shape and influence communities. Listening, responding, and shaping future designs around neighborhood needs is more vital today than ever. And while some might see the time and effort involved in garnering feedback and engaging in community-led design as a luxury, regarding it as such would be a mistake, according to architects and designers who place equity, community feedback, and social justice at the center of their practice. When resources are scarce, the value of truly reflecting the community in design, hearing about their struggles and trauma, and getting their buy-in is immeasurable. Community Projects at Studio 407 come in many shapes and sizes, from working with the community to reinvigorate city blocks to repurposing discarded structures that are a part of a community’s fabric.