Madge Bemiss, Susan Hoppenfeld, and Betsy Bradley talk about designing the Mississippi Museum of Art

This talk “Engaging Design: How Values and Philosophies Shape Spaces”  was written for a presentation at the Museums Australia Conference in Brisbane in 2006 where Madge Bismiss now lives.  I had been a consultant to the project as they begin their thinking about community and space.  Rarely had worked with a team that was so congruent with my own thinking and yet I had never personally met any of them previously.  I followed their work with pleasure and recommend you speak with all of them if their words resonate with you as well.  People are always asking me to give examples of actual museums that live by the philosophy they espouse.  I confess I have never been to this museum but I have rarely met such dedication to finding spacial solutions to foster community involvement and comfort.  I would be interested to know from others if they succeeded.  I also commend to you the classic writings of William H. Whyte’s  The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, (The Conservation Foundation, 1980).  It is the foundational book for consideration of “the third space”.