Involvement
and Participation
The
concept of involvement and participation underlies
this whole report. It seems central to the comments
of all our consultants. Rand has summarized
the point when he says, "Designed environments
which are thought out. formalized,and
complete are usually lifeless' and unapproachable
because (a) they do not invite interaction
and modification to suit immediate
human
needs; (b) they are unable to grow, develop and
become extended through human use. Human habitation
merely fulfills (for better or far worse)
the
designer's conception of their potential meaning
rather than leading to the discoveryof
new functions and new forms of interaction. Oddly
enough [he goes on to say] many environsents
which 'work' well for people meet few if
any, aesthetic criteria ordinarily employed by
designers." From New York, New
York (1968) by Lawrence Halpern and Associates.
