Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility

Since September 2011, the Occupy Movement has sprung up in cities and university campuses around the world, calling attention to the economic inequality and injustice under the current global financial system and institutions. In keeping with its mission of working for peace, environmental protection, ecological building, social justice, and the development of healthy communities, Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) stands in support of the goal and cause of the Occupy Movement. Specifically:

1. We support the right of citizens to peaceful protests and freedom of expression.

2. We support the principle of non-violent actions for social change.

3. We support the use of public space for political expressions and dialogues.

4. We stand in solidarity with communities and activist organizations around the world seeking democracy and economic, environmental and social justice.

5. We call architects, designers, landscape architects, and planners to support the Occupy Movement through individual and collective actions.

We believe that public space is fundamental to our democracy. Public space should serve not only as a place for social gathering and recreation but also as a space for active political expressions and dialogues. Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights supports the right of every individual to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. The First Amendment to the US Constitution also guarantees the right of people to peacefully assemble. With citizens engaged in peaceful protests being evicted from public space in cities around the United States and students and faculty being intimidated and attacked by campus police, we call for actions and measures to safeguard the function of public space for peaceful assembly and political expressions.

[PDF of Statement on ADPSR letterhead]