Interview with travis & beth ann falstad on building conscious communities

Today Ian welcomes two guests, Travis Falstad and Beth Ann Falstad, from The Building Community who strive to solve the issue of homelessness through an interactive and conscious process. The pair explains what the homelessness problem means for them and why they have started this initiative. After Ian asks what motivated them to create this project, Beth and Travis explain their initial process of brainstorming and then elaborate on how the project went from an idea into a real program. They also spend some time explaining the goal of the entire project. Ian asks how feedback has changed the objectives of the project and the pair provide an extensive answer about how they implemented suggestions into the final design. Beth Ann talks a bit more about the differences in the community and how much homeless people rely on each other to survive as a community. Ian asks about the materials used in creating the community housing they designed, which the pair happily answers. Ian ends the episode with a discussion about the future goals of the team and looking forward to restarting post-pandemic.

Sections

Guest Intro (0:07)
Project Intro (2:32)
Project Goal (8:24)
Changes Made (10:31)
A Different Community (12:59)
Importance of Community (15:43)
Materials Used (20:48)
Future Goals (25:36)

About Travis, Beth Ann & The Building Community:

The Building Community founded by Beth Ann, and supported by Travis, was founded in 2018 as a continuation of Beth Ann’s community-based art practice and sustainability research. She started TBC to relieve the isolation and anxiety she experiences in everyday modern life, by connecting with her community and envisioning a brighter future together. Prior to founding TBC, Beth Ann organized two meetup groups that explored issues of community and sustainability, where she realized that a lot of people were left out of the conversation. We could create an intentional community in the city if we had the resources, but what about the people who could no longer afford to live there, or the legions who have been displaced since the arrival of Europeans? Would those experiencing homelessness be welcome and supported in our community? The Building Community offers respite from the fast pace of modern life, where we can learn each other’s names, share our fears and desires, and heal from the pain of systemic and generational trauma. Through dialogue and collective design, we can answer the question: “if not this, than what do we want?”

You can find Travis, Beth Ann & The Building Community here:

https://www.the-building-community.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-building-community/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tfalstad/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethness/

Email: [email protected]

We are a global non-profit working to connect and inspire designers through programs, awards, and events, to create a global circular society through the principles of Conscious Design.