A Lesson in Weathering a Contentious Public Review Process

Seward notes a few examples of particularly stinging comments received during the public review process for Houston's Memorial Park before observing that "though the remarks above may have a certain regional flavor specific to Texas and the Southwest, this brand of misinformed, knee-jerk reaction is common all across our great nation. It seems, in fact, to be endemic in the American Grain."

According to Seward, "to protect the integrity of a good design it has to be carried through opposition without distortion." Though Seward acknowledges that much of the "backroom dealing," "ardent cajoling," and "pugilistic obstinacy" required to keep the vision of an ambitious project alive fall under the purview of politicians, "architects should pay attention to how ambitious projects are taken through the public approval process because it can help them craft their presentations to better ensure that the ideas that matter make it to construction."

Seward goes on to site a pair of examples of politicians who convinced the public of the benefits of large projects to see the vision through to delivery.