What Emotions do our Buildings Inspire?

Leaders and employees of construction firms may sometimes pass by buildings and structures they were part of creating. What goes through their minds and what emotions are stirred?

The thrill of winning the contract?

Satisfaction at the problems that were overcome during the project?

Pride at a job well done and an impressive looking building?

One thing is for sure, the thoughts of the people who live, work in or use the buildings will be different. They will have a unique perspective, different priorities and different emotions.

The question for contractors is how well do we understand that perspective? Are we building to a specification or building intelligently, driven by the legacy and the value we create for communities?

What Should We be Proud of?

A part of it should really stem from how we have helped people to live better and more fulfilled lives. How we have contributed to building communities. How we have contributed to the built environment and created buildings that meet the needs of users, are a pleasure to live in or use and require minimal maintenance effort.

One thing’s for sure, if you don’t ask the question you’ll never know the answer. Engaging communities from the outset is essential if you want to create a positive legacy. It’s not for contractors (or customers) to dictate what people will value. Would people want an all-weather sports pitch or a communal garden they can tend collectively? You never know unless you ask.

The other point we should reflect on when we look at past projects is how much social value we created. Did we improve local employment opportunities and support local business as much as we could have? Did we take every opportunity to improve access or community facilities while we had expertise and equipment in the area?

When we are fully in tune with the needs of communities and building users we can honestly say that we are designing and building intelligently and sensitively and leaving a positive legacy. Now that really is something to be proud of.

Find out more about our projects here.