Crossing Borders

Yesterday 700 colleagues explored the theme “Crossing Borders”. It is a theme that may be interpreted in many ways.....

This past year has been an exceptional year because we have been forced across borders. To stay connected thru lockdown and restrictions we have worked in ways no one thought possible a year ago. Even though we’ve barely left our home offices. We have crossed boarders into new markets like never before. Our turnover, the number of projects and competition wins on markets that are new to us have increased, and we have created new innovations. We've have made it happen thru successful collaboration across international and organisational borders.

Creating beautiful and sustainable spaces for people is very much about crossing borders into the minds of others. The very purpose of design is about being emphatic and understanding to the needs of people. What will they see, smell and feel when living their lives in the spaces we create?

• We design spaces to encourage people to explore.
• We stage and mould light to guide people, to make them feel safe and to experience the beauty of a space.
• We enhance views by carefully framing them thru windows.
• We create colour schemes to instil a sense of calm.
• We design details that are inspiring to the eye and pleasant to touch

…..and we seek to define clarity in great structures.

While we carefully shape the all the details that make architecture a beautiful experience, we have the power to cross borders on a much larger scale. We have set out to become carbon neutral in all our projects thru design excellence from 2030 an on. Every design decision we make, in every project we deliver has the potential to push us one step closer to; crossing the border to a sustainable way of life.

To achieve change in the long run we must be curious and cross the borders of our own minds. It is a paradox that the boarders of our minds, that lay so completely within our control, sometimes seem to be the hardest ones to cross. It is easier, not to engage with new things, or to take the time to understand the perspectives of others. But ultimately it leads to stagnation and loss.

 In times of rapid change, the ability to absorb new ideas is more important than ever. To unleash creativity, we need to be curious rather than critical of people that have a different view on things. We need to be open to try new things rather than protective of old ways. When we seek to understand the perspective of others it will bring us closer together. When we combine our knowledge, we can solve challenges that we could ever take on as individuals.

Every great invention in the world was once just a thought in someone’s mind. And the ability to make an idea cross the border from thought to reality changes the world. Thru fostering a culture of curiosity and respect, we set the scene for creativity, and we set the scene for bringing new ideas to the world. I’d like to end by sharing a quote that I posted on the wall above my desk at home when the corona outbreak started.

“When the storm breaks each man acts in accordance with his own nature, some are dumb with terror, some flee, and some spread their wings like eagles and soar on the wind”

And we believe, that if we are courageous enough to challenge the borders of our own minds, and absorb new perspectives as an organisation. We will always be the eagle that soar on the wind when the storm breaks.

https://whitearkitekter.com/annual-sustainability-report-2020/