In memory of Alan Hart

April 15, 1952 - December 29, 2023

I am sad to report that my good friend Alan passed away on December 29, 2023, after a brief yet devastating illness. On March 13, I attended the Celebration of Life organized by his family and friends, a beautifully-designed event that honored his legacy. You can read one of the tributes to him here.

Alan was a respected architect and trail blazer, known as a leader in urban planning who reimagined Vancouver B.C’s public infrastructure. We met some 20 years ago when he contacted me to learn more about the Pomegranate Center, and I invited him to stop by our office in Issaquah. He brought a few other VIA Architects with him and we spent a wonderful afternoon together. That initial meeting sparked a collaboration that saw us working on various projects and providing training to many staff members at VIA Architects.

Alan and I would bump into each other every few years, but it was only recently that our collaboration began to re-emerge. In February 2023, I posted a blog entitled Stop the Sprawl advocating for a united front among planners, architects, artists, and real estate professionals against urban sprawl. Alan was the first to respond, leading to a series of deep and gratifying discussions throughout the year. We debated the future of American cities, emphasizing the need for a collective vision that addressed climate change, economic disparity, cultural, and racial divides.

Alan and I shared the belief that true change must emanate from the community, guided but not dictated by experts. He succinctly captured this thought in a message to me, stating, “The sprawl is the symptom, not the disease. Cities need to make the most of the limited resources available to them, water, space, food, air, energy, time without impacting the balance with nature and natural systems. To achieve this end, greater economic and cultural value must be placed on what we can do now to make sure the natural resources and systems that humans rely on will still be reliably available in the future for our children and our children’s children. I see this as acting in the present future.”

Alan was dedicated to making cities that are more accessible, fairer, and in better harmony with nature. His advice to planners and architects was to not let complex approval and short-sighted economic measures sidetrack them from achieving meaningful progress in making our cities more sustainable. Though he enjoyed success in achieving these goals in certain cities, he lamented a limited effect globally in changing the catastrophic path we are on.

Together, we formed a small group that began to dream up ways to make our world a better place. And though our focus seemed to revolve around upgrading city centers, we were excited to find ways of building our new future that didn’t neglect the periphery.

In losing Alan, our group has lost its heart, but his spirit and guidance will live on in the dreams and discussions we continue to have. I miss Alan’s wisdom, commitment, and abundant talent. He was a great collaborator and explorer whose influence has shaped my future work. Together, he and I were a good team.

I’m sure he has inspired more of us, and, if we are to follow his lead, we will not be afraid to jump in and push bold ideas into new territories and conversations. 

Rest in Peace, my dear friend.