BRIAN STARESNICK

SOLAR Member Spotlight

Tell us about yourself:
I am a young professional passionate about the design of cities and always looking for opportunities to make positive contributions to my home city -Indianapolis. Starting this Fall, I'll split my time between practicing landscape architecture and urban design at RATIO Architects, and pursuing a Master of Urban Design degree from Ball State University's Indy Center. In my free time, I've been developing an organization, currently seeking a nonprofit status, called URBN DSGN whose mission is to raise the level of dialogue about urbanism here in Indianapolis. We function in pursuit of better cities.

Why did you first support SOLAR?
Joining SOLAR was an easy decision for me. I was looking for a way to meet like-minded young professionals passionate about maintaining a healthy, vibrant Indianapolis. SOLAR fit that bill.

What keeps you involved?
There is a lot of momentum brewing in Indianapolis that is hard to pinpoint. Some say it has to do with the Super Bowl. Others say its Indiana's affordability. I have thought it to be related to the potential for small business owners. There exists an amazing amount of collaboration between thinkers, doers and policymakers committed to strengthening Indy's vibrancy which in time has created one of the country's best places to live, work, and create. My point is, it is this collective momentum that drives my passion. I'm honored to be a small part of it.

Do you have a favorite place in the city?
My favorite places are the neighborhoods that can reinvest, rebuild, redevelop, and all-the-while maintain their authenticity.