Center for Conversation

Design Theme Description

Life seems to be moving more and more quickly. Society is shifting in more and more insane directions. Partisan vitriol, racial conflict, violations of social justice, economic disparity, physical violence, gun violence, urban development pressures, and general malaise about the future are just a few of the issues that have caused societal and community conflicts to increase. Communications via the media and the internet cause almost instantaneous broadcasting of opinions of all sorts, often, ill-informed and shared only by people of like mind. This further divides our society where lack of discussion and deep reflection about important issues prevail. As an antidote to the divisions that are threatening to break our society apart, this 2023 CCCAP Student Design Competition proposes to explore ideas about dialogue, conversation, and intellectual exchange of ideas in the design of a Center for Conversation that will be associated with and administered by the local university in a town that is experiencing social conflicts. The design should provide places for individual contemplation and for group discussion to heal our society and knit it together to create community and peace. Community is regarded by some as a collective consciousness. Community as a concept does not mean that everyone shares the same opinions, but it does mean that people are willing to come together to find ways to live civilly together.