Civic Sensibility

At Val’s Italian Restaurant in downtown Canton, a group of residents gathered to provide feedback about the challenges facing their community’s built environment. Canton, a small East Texas town located about an hour from Dallas, features a charming historic center with a county courthouse, shops, and restaurants. However, it is best known for the First Monday Trade Days, one of the largest and oldest flea markets in the United States. Residents shared their insights with a team from the Texas Historical Commission (THC), highlighting a key issue: While the market, located adjacent to the city center, attracts a significant number of visitors, almost none of them venture into downtown itself. The central question they posed to the THC team was simple: “How can we make downtown Canton more appealing to these visitors?”

The Town Square Initiative team from the THC was invited to Canton as part of a now-abandoned pilot project designed to address unoccupied and underutilized historic downtown properties. Architect Riley Triggs, AIA, along with planner Emily Koller, and economic development specialist Alan Cox were working with residents in a variety of communities including Canton, Goliad, and Houston’s Third Ward to boost local economies and historic preservation through placemaking initiatives. In Canton, public engagement sessions resulted in a comprehensive Downtown Action Plan that tackled multiple aspects of placemaking, including historic building rehabilitation, wayfinding, the creation of small parks, and improving walkways that were awkwardly configured and inaccessible. The plan, which innocuously began with a simple sidewalk project, became a pivotal step toward making downtown more inviting.

The Canton sidewalk project is a small but clear illustration of the need for design leadership in both large and small cities that combines community input with thoughtful design. While a new sidewalk for a single block of downtown is not a grand public project, it reflects the complex web of everyday challenges faced by cities worldwide, ranging from community engagement and equity to historic preservation, environmental protection, mobility, economic development, sustainability, and resiliency. 

In Canton, the project faced specific urban design issues, such as ADA accessibility due to a large grade difference between the street and buildings, the need to preserve convenient street parking, adherence to historic property regulations, and large truck traffic access governed by the Texas Department of Transportation. But because of the THC’s focus, the overarching goal of the project was placemaking. By understanding the town’s history and listening to the community, this sidewalk, though constrained by numerous challenges, was ultimately a tool for enhancing Canton’s unique identity, public well-being, and overall quality of place.

City Beautiful or City Practical?

At the core of THC’s Town Square Initiative was a commitment to economic development through community-driven placemaking—a practice often overlooked and difficult to prioritize in the United States. Municipal design in this country tends to lean heavily toward the practical, with various boards, commissions, and technical experts working in separate realms like public health, affordable housing, historic preservation, transportation, and sustainability. However, these efforts often lack a unifying vision for creating truly vibrant places. Architects in local government are typically buried in public works or engineering departments in roles focused more on project management than on design. There was a time, however, when quality of place was a central goal for American cities.

The City Beautiful movement of the early 1900s in the United States, led by architects and planners like Daniel Burnham, was a time of intentional placemaking that shaped America’s towns and cities, creating picturesque courthouses and town squares like the one in Canton. However, the City Beautiful movement quickly gave way to a “city practical” approach, prioritizing hard metrics like schedules and budgets over life-enhancing attributes like beauty and quality of place, with the leadership of engineers and planners taking priority over that of architects. Today, design leadership that addresses interconnected issues like health, affordability, and sustainability is largely absent from municipal governments. Thus, in the US, holistic placemaking does not have much of a place—but it should.

Is this “city practical” approach the norm? Not everywhere. Contemporary Europe makes placemaking a priority, and architects are found in leadership roles at all levels of government. Architects are generally more prevalent in Europe than in the United States. According to a 2022 study from the Architects’ Council of Europe, there are about 620,000 architects in Europe, compared to 120,000 in the U.S. (based on figures provided by NCARB in 2023). This translates to about twice the number of architects per capita in Europe. In 2012, a survey from the European Forum for Architectural Policies (EFAP) of over 37 European countries found 30 administrating bodies for architectural policy at the national, state, and local levels. 

Most of these architectural bodies were housed in ministries of culture (19) and the environment (12), with only a few in public works departments (3). According to the EFAP survey, city architects in Europe are charged with both practical and quality-oriented tasks, such as promoting architectural knowledge and awareness, improving public building policies, fostering sustainability, and managing the “building culture” of a place to ensure the health and well-being of citizens. 

This concept of “building culture,” according to a 2018 Davos World Economic Forum Declaration, “holistically embraces every human activity that changes the built environment, including every built and designed asset that is embedded in and relates to the natural environment.” Kristiaan Borret, the master architect of Brussels, identifies four main criteria for public buildings: urbanity, livability, sustainability, and feasibility. The architectural domain described here might well include the design and construction of libraries, fire stations, convention centers, and wastewater treatment centers—the typical purview of a public works department in the US—but it extends into an extremely rich territory of both public and private projects. 

The role of a city architect such as this, combining design and leadership, can be seen in action in Aarhus, Denmark, where chief city architect Anne Mette Boye has integrated sustainability into urban planning and development projects. Boye describes her role as being significant for Aarhus: “The chief city architect is not a political position. It is organizationally placed close to decision makers and politicians. This function has a key role in creating good architecture in the city in four ways. First, to provide a strong focus on a strategic vision for quality and coherence in urban planning, neighborhood development, building and transformation of public space and landscapes. The second area is to maintain and ensure urban quality and architectural quality on the project level. Third, to promote continuous innovation and competent development within the municipality’s staff for planning and architecture. Fourth, to foster a collective architectural headspace through external communication and presentations of Aarhus’s future visions, significant projects, urban history, architecture, and qualities that resonate locally, nationally, and internationally.” 

The design leadership role in Aarhus encompasses advising both the political leadership and the municipal staff, fostering external collaborations, and initiating architectural projects that incorporate community input through a new digital portal. This is complemented by Boye’s firm belief that the primary responsibility of city architects worldwide is “to start the sustainable transition and create real projects using sustainable materials, reuse, and so forth.” Her commitment to this vision was realized through her involvement in Denmark’s tallest mass timber building, TRÆ, a circular mass timber office high-rise.

Boye and city leadership launched a competition and an architectural intentions guide to clearly express the city’s commitment to using sustainable materials and fostering true social diversity by linking with an established adjacent social program. This led to a collaboration between Boye, the developer, and architect Anders Lendager, resulting in a publicly accessible ground floor with a food kitchen and café to serve locals experiencing homelessness.

By addressing issues relating to social inclusion, energy use, resource efficiency, biodiversity, water use, health, and new building practice, TRÆ aims to demonstrate for Aarhus Municipality how a holistic approach can provide solutions reaching far beyond its traditional sphere of influence. This collaborative journey toward a truly sustainable built environment in Aarhus was made possible by the presence, vision, and design leadership of a city architect.

There are a few instances of design leadership like this at the municipal level in the United States. In Los Angeles, former city architect Margaret Weintraub, AIA—now the first architect and first woman to serve as deputy city engineer for the Bureau of Engineering—has been guiding the city’s municipal development for decades. Similarly, New York City has two design leadership positions to address its size and numerous needs: the Office of the Chief Architect and the newly created role of chief public realm officer, appointed by Mayor Eric Adams.

The chief architect of NYC, currently Margaret O’Donoghue Castillo, FAIA, supports the mayoral priorities of growth, equity, sustainability, resiliency, and healthy living across the Department of Design and Construction’s projects. This role includes coordinating regulatory reviews, overseeing the Percent for Art program, and streamlining the Design Construction Excellence review process. Meanwhile, the chief public realm officer, currently Ya-Ting Liu, focuses on creating beautiful public spaces across the city, a key initiative for driving New York’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

In Seattle, architect Rico Quirindongo, AIA, was recently appointed director of the Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD), where he leads a community-driven capital placemaking program that “supports thriving communities through an integrated and equitable approach to planning and community investment.” OPCD works across municipal government departments to assess community needs, prioritize resources, and develop a cohesive vision for Seattle’s growth. 

Other cities with city architect positions include Kansas City, Missouri, which recently appointed Rukhsana Reyes as city architect. Lisa Chronister, FAIA, principal planner for the City of Oklahoma City, shared on an AIA forum that “Oklahoma City does not have a city architect. I recently learned that this position was cut due to budget concerns…in 1911.” Many cities, in fact, have never had and continue to lack architects in leadership roles.

In Texas, as in most cities across the US, architects typically work within public works departments and are not usually in design leadership roles. However, El Paso offers a different model. Architect Daniela Quesada, AIA, and urban planner Alex Hoffman teamed up to create the City Design Lab. As city architect, Quesada works with Hoffman and a team of urban designers—including a bicycle and pedestrian manager—on a comprehensive plan update as well as on community-driven initiatives for safer, more vibrant streetscapes. 

The Lab is as experimental as its name suggests, combining both traditional methods like tabling with tech-based tools such as interactive surveys and maps methods to engage with and responding to the community. Their efforts have begun with several design guidelines to shape El Paso’s future. Notable projects include the Downtown Street Trees Master Plan, Alley Activations, Right-of-Way Café Program, and a pivotal document refining the urban landscape of the Union Plaza District. 

A collective community vision, which started with an existing planning document from 1996, the updated Union Plaza guidelines represent “a strategic effort to enhance quality, foster development compatibility, and ensure enduring design excellence within this vibrant, mixed-used urban hub in downtown El Paso.” Through this work, the Lab aims to preserve the unique character of the Union Plaza District. The guidelines provide targeted recommendations for a variety of stakeholders to actively contribute to the quality of place through site development, building forms, and architectural details, all while respecting the district’s historic fabric and traditions. 

Primed, but Not Yet Started

Cities need dedicated design leadership roles that are attuned to the public’s needs and capable of creating and implementing effective design solutions. Torrey Carleton, executive director of AIA San Antonio, emphasizes the importance of these roles, stating: “Mayors and council [members] are laypeople with an interest in public service. We need design-informed decisions about public investments, both in the short and long term. Having design thinkers at city hall can make a huge difference.” 

The American Institute of Architects is also advocating for more architects in advisory roles. The AIA’s current strategic plan aims to “optimize architects’ presence and impact by equipping and preparing them to serve as conveners, collaborators, civic leaders, and change agents in developing and delivering solutions to society’s most pressing needs.” In 2024, AIA president Kimberly Dowdell called for more chief architect positions within city governments—architects who serve as key advisors to mayors and city managers. These positions would complement architects already working in planning, zoning, building, project management, and economic development departments. Working at a high level within the city, chief architects should champion climate action, advance health equity, promote affordable housing, lead historic preservation and adaptive reuse projects, and enhance transportation and transit-oriented development. Dowdell says, “The chief architect position has the potential to revive the public’s understanding of the value that architects offer.” 

No concerted effort has begun, though. AIA Austin executive director Ingrid Spencer notes: “It’s so funny. There was a campaign by the past AIA National president Kimberly Dowdell for every city to have a city architect. I asked time and again if they had a job description for the role, who they should report to, what they should be responsible for, etc. I asked for case studies about cities with strong city architects, and they can’t give me that. Then I get calls from people in Austin asking what AIA Austin is going to do to make sure Austin gets a city architect?! I tell them we already have one. But if that isn’t known, and if our city architect is not given the authority to make real change, then what to do?” 

A Revival of Historic Practices

The word “revive” is key here. The recognition that cities in the 21st century need the human-centered problem-solving, organizational, and convening skills that architects provide is not a new discovery. Throughout history, as long as cities have existed, there have been people tasked with the planning, construction, and maintenance of city buildings, parks, bridges, monuments, fountains, and more, solving problems both common to all cities and unique to their time.

The Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, written over 4,000 years ago, offers insight into the roles involved in building the city of Uruk: “Go up on to the wall of Uruk and walk around. Inspect the foundation platform and scrutinize the brickwork. Testify that its bricks are baked bricks, and that the Seven Counsellors must have laid its foundations. One square mile is city, one square mile is orchards, one square mile is claypits, as well as the open ground of Ishtar’s temple. Three square miles and the open ground comprise Uruk.”

The Seven Counsellors of Uruk would have served as architects, engineers, planners, and builders. They envisioned the city’s layout—city, orchards, claypits, and temples—identified the resources needed for construction (clay, kilns, labor), designed the foundations to support the city and temple ramparts, figured out how to bring in water and handle sewage, and prepared for defense. They also designed public buildings using materials, forms, and ornamentation that reinforced a shared culture and sense of place. Additionally, they ensured the bricks were properly baked and kept official records of the city’s development—on stone tablets, no less. And, perhaps one of the counselors, engaged the community with tours to the top of the walls to survey the city.

As cities grew, architects remained integral to their planning and construction across multiple levels of government. In Egypt, the architect-priest Imhotep oversaw the construction of the pyramid and tomb of Djoser. In the Ottoman Empire, architects working under the sultan’s imperial architect played a central role in shaping both space and culture. According to scholar Maurice Cerasi, the first known appointment of a town architect—a role distinct from that of master builder—occurred in 1627, in response to growing populations and an ensuing building boom.

In Europe, architects were also prolific, though their roles were less specialized. Formal architectural training didn’t emerge in Europe until the 19th century, so architects often brought a diverse set of skills to their projects, blending many disciplines, techniques, and materials. Filippo Brunelleschi, famed for the Duomo, was also a sculptor and goldsmith; Sir Christopher Wren, the architect who helped reshape London after the Great Fire of 1666 and designed St. Paul’s Cathedral, was also an astronomer and surveyor; and Inigo Jones, the father of the English Palladian style, was a theater designer.

In short, there are rich historical and contemporary precedents for architects as cross-disciplinary conveners, culture-builders, and placemakers.

Meanwhile, in Canton

Riley Triggs, AIA, recognized the need for greater citizen involvement and design guidance in Canton. While the THC team had come to preserve historic buildings, it quickly became clear that a more holistic approach to the town was necessary. The team had assisted residents in creating a plan, and in some cases, like with the sidewalk project, Triggs helped with the implementation: drafting the plans, securing bids, and ensuring the project was built according to plan and code. However, even after the THC’s involvement ended, towns like Canton continued to reach out to him, asking what to do next and how to move forward. There was no city office dedicated to placemaking, no individual in charge of shepherding plans into action, and no unified approach to championing the culture and quality of each town’s built environment. For years, Triggs has found himself drawing up plans, crafting requests for proposals from consultants, and advising on a wide range of urban and architectural design matters—and realizing the pressing need for city architects.

Advocating for City Architects

The AIA’s City Architect Initiative is a promising starting point, but it needs to be backed by a concerted effort and strategic plan to establish city architect positions as a national standard. This effort should dovetail with ongoing initiatives by local chapters, many of which have been advocating for city architect roles for decades. The initiative should equip local chapters with precedents, data, strategies, policy recommendations, example ordinance language, and other advocacy materials. The AIA should also offer educational opportunities and a support network to help organize and share best practices for effectively advocating for city architect positions within municipal governments across the US.

At the national level, the AIA should take the lead, working with appointed and elected officials to foster collaborations with government departments. Additionally, the AIA should maintain established connections with organizations like the United States Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities to strengthen advocacy efforts. Such a program will help prepare a growing group of architects who can effectively incorporate placemaking and design excellence into municipal projects, ultimately leading to healthier, more prosperous, and more vibrant cities. 

Every successful city project, regardless of its scale, requires someone who can provide the collaboration, vision, and leadership necessary to address the complex challenges of the built environment. City architects—ideally in advisory roles—can safeguard and focus a collective vision; convene subject matter experts across municipal departments to tackle identified challenges; develop and refine standards and specifications; coordinate community-led project development; model sustainability and resiliency approaches for the broader community; position city-building efforts as a model for private development; and advocate for, enable, and steward the quality of place within a city.

Homecoming

Today, a once-awkward block of sidewalk in Canton’s downtown has been transformed into a series of cascading steps, complete with street trees and accessible routes. Through listening to public stories, understanding the history of the place, and integrating that feedback into the design, spectators lining the town square near Val’s can enjoy a simple yet thoughtfully designed sidewalk with steps that double as an informal grandstand for the homecoming parade. This small but powerful example of community-engaged design leadership demonstrates how even a single block can be improved to support both practical, everyday use and local culturally significant events. But for towns like Canton, as well as cities like New York, Austin, Seattle, and El Paso, to continue thriving, they need more than just a new sidewalk. They need a city architect.