Can architecture be good in the ethical sense of the word?

Norwegian architect Reiulf Ramstad’s answer is a resounding yes. For him, good architecture is not about aesthetics or meeting the shifting opinions of design quality, and should never focus on egos or budgets. All of these certainly play a part in the work of architects, but at the Alaska Design Forum’s Feb. 15 lecture at the Silverbow, Ramstad showed that having a firm ethical foundation can be the factor that makes great architecture out of good.

Three years ago, seeing the ultrasound that clearly indicated my future baby was a boy, I looked at my 9-year-old daughter and thought, ‘Thank God, no more Disney princesses!’

My next thought was, of course, “I mean, it’s OK if he likes princesses! I’m an enlightened mom and, well, he might even want to BE a princess one day and it won’t affect how much I love him!” Whew. Modern parenting.