In their studio in Inglewood’s Fairview Heights community, the architects at (fer) Studio have been breaking virtual ground on urban planning.

They have created a model of a re-imagined people centric and sustainable downtown Inglewood with their Inglewood Living City project. The project will be part of the Never Built: Los Angeles exhibit at the Architecture + Design Museum on 6032 Wilshire Blvd. It is slated to open on July 12.

This livable city model demands an answer: Why isn’t this kind of development more popular and why is it often never built? In particular, why is the big retail style of development—which is more car- and corporate- friendly and equally pedestrian-resistant—often the first choice in modernizing a community?

“From a developer’s point of view, it takes the risk out. It’s not about [bettering an area] in a very big way; it’s about security [of investment],” said Chris Mercier, partner and design principal at (fer) Studio. His partner is Douglas Pierson.

They have studied in Italy and designed buildings in Hereford, Germany.

Of all the cities available, one wonders why these two architects have taken such a keen interest in our little city.

“Inglewood doesn’t have a downtown, but it does, but no one uses it like they do in other cities. In one way it’s a default, but in another sense it’s a huge opportunity,” Mercier said.

Inglewood is the City of Possibilities. We have so many opportunities. The chance to take these opportunities and make trailblazing artful decisions is now.

“We get fearful that the development that is going to occur in this area is going to get looked at as a ‘We’ll just solve the problem, they need a store,’ and they stick it in— that’s not rethinking Inglewood,” Mercier continued.

“You can put in all the best stores, but Inglewood won’t change if you don’t change Inglewood’s perception of what it is.”

These are insightful words from an architectural firm with an eye on Inglewood’s fertile future.