Spatializing Reproductive Justice: Guidelines and Codes

Presented as part of the Spatializing Reproductive Justice exhibition at the Center for Architecture, on view through September 3, 2024, this program will discuss building codes and planning concerns surrounding abortion clinics. Jordan Kravitz, AIA, will present her research on and analysis of healthcare building codes in several states, while Deborah Richards, AIA, will present the planning analysis of abortion and healthcare spaces as performed for Planned Parenthood.

Speakers:
Jordan Kravitz, AIA, Senior Associate, Senior Architect, Stantec
Deborah Richards, AIA, Founder, Co-Director, Script Architecture

About the Speakers:
As a healthcare project architect, medical planner, and researcher, Jordan Kravitz, AIA, believes in designing with dignity, compassion, and sustainable thinking. By creating with these strong pillars of health and wellness in mind, she helps to bolster healthcare practices in communities. With projects across the entire care continuum—from medical office buildings to complex hospital projects—she can effortlessly execute the duties of both project architect and medical planner, playing an essential role in integrating the programmatic and spatial demands of a project with its technical requirements. Kravitz’s diverse background allows her to think through complicated social justice issues with empathy and understanding. Kravitz is known as a leader in her place of work and community through her activism with women’s reproductive health, justice, equity, diversity, inclusion (J.E.D.I.) initiatives, involvement with the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Deborah Richards’ research focuses on social impact projects ranging from reproductive justice to community based co-led urban design projects.  Her projects are based in the stories, assets, knowledge and experiences of individuals or communities. She is the founder and co-director of the award-winning practice Script Architecture, the co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Open Design and an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma. Richards has a long relationship with Planned Parenthood, starting in 2017 with the design of the Oklahoma City Health Center for Planned Parenthood Great Plains.  Since that time, she has worked on healthcare centers for three different Planned Parenthood affiliates and in 2019 worked on the national design guidelines for Planned Parenthood Federation of America.  Her journal article “Equity & Dignity by Design: Co-creating Guidelines with Planned Parenthood Affiliate Health Centers”, written with Angela Person, won a Journal of Architectural Education Essay Award. Deborah received a B.S. in architecture from University of Michigan and a M.Arch. from Columbia University, GSAPP.
This event is offered virtually, you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.