John Oliver discusses environmental racism, how both government and industry are failing people of color, and pandas. Featuring the Floral Farms community, where Shingle Mountain once stood 6 stories high.

"Poisoned by Zip Code, Mended by Design" featured (from left) Miguel Perez, KERA arts reporter; Ari Brielle, artist; Marsha Jackson, activist and Floral Farms resident; Erin Peavey, architect, HKS and Evelyn Mayo, chair of Downwinders at Risk. Here on stage at the Dallas Museum of Art

The story of the Floral Farms Park is one of reclamation, connection, and healing. It’s not just about the removing an illegal dumping site, where a mountain of shingles grew to be six-stories tall— it’s about reclaiming the identity of a vibrant neighborhood that came to be known as “where Shingle Mountain is”.

‘A place of community and healing’: This Dallas architect led park design for Shingle Mountain site .

‘Together we can move mountains’ is the motto of the park — and of Erin Peavey’s effort to ensure that the Floral Farms neighborhood got the proposal it envisioned.

Join us for the third event in the Connect+Conversations series! This session will focus on how the places where we live, work, and play influence our social relationships.

We will explore the latest research, recommendations, and real-world examples of designing the built environment and neighborhoods to reduce loneliness and strengthen communities.

You will hear from experts in this space and have the opportunity to engage with people across the US and globally. Join the conversation if you are interested in learning and discussing:

• What features of the built environment contribute to social health

• How urban vs. rural communities help or hinder social connection

• Why design and programming must go hand-in-hand

• And more!

I was honored to be in conversation with Jennifer Roberts, PhD and Resa Lewiss, MD on her podcast, Visible Voices talking about the role of the built environment on health.

Loneliness and social isolation are threatening millions of people; however, increasing connection can reduce risk.

The places we live can exacerbate our sense of isolation and loneliness.

Concrete design strategies—like universal accessibility, incorporation of nature, and shared spaces—can foster social health.

Partnering with Social Health Lab’s founder, Kasley Killam, MPH from Harvard University, to discuss Designing for Urban Connection as a part of the World Happiness Week events, hosted by Togetherness Hub!

HKS Health and Arup have partnered to share The Pandemic-Resilient Hospital: How Design Can Help Facilities Stay Operational and Safe. In this webinar, we explored detailed architectural, MEP engineering and medical planning strategies to create and adapt facilities to be more resilient to long-range airborne diseases, such as SARS-CoV-2.