Week 07: Sustainibility

Sustainability in historic buildings and use of materials:

Let us assume the examples used by Uffelen are valid. But they are chef d’oeuvres done by famous architects. Maybe sustainability at the time of the design process was a requirement, maybe it was just another green washing used to “sell” the idea. Or maybe it was a genuine approach to a healthier planet and happier people.

Either ways, let’s think for a second. How much do similar projects REALLY  cover? Probably less than 1% of the earth. And, no matter how much people they reach, they are still unknown for most of the earth population. That means that these projects are out of reach of daily lives of billions whose behaviors truly affect the whole planet.

(I am not saying this 1% doesn’t matter, I am just inspired by the exhibition at Mercy Corps “Design the other 90%”- Thinking globally, and acting locally, very locally)

When I think about the other 90%, I remember my grandparents’ house, 80 years old simple agricultural house, in a small village next to agricultural lands (where they worked). That house was sustainable. Part of it was done with local mud and hays; the other part is hollow blocs. It had high opening in the exterior walls (kind of an oeil de boeuf, my grandma knew about ventilation more than I did, and she knew exactly when to close or open that window), had water well next to it and used vines as its own vegetation pergola. My grandma was not the only one in her generation, everyone at the time knew how to “design”  without architects: from very rich Italian inspired villas in Beirut, to beautiful houses in Mount-Lebanon and agricultural simple houses in my village.

Why is that? Because even though they had no architects, they knew nature and their materials.

They didn’t scarify their comfort, the structure or the style of their dwellings.

More on : http://www.meda-corpus.net/arb/fitxes/F1/FRN/lb_t07.pdf

 

Sustainability, style and structural function:

I don’t think we focused that much on the urban design of American cities in my undergraduate study. Similar to most of the US architectural schools, we looked to Europe for inspiration, and then looked back to the Lebanese realities (I am not saying Mediterranean or Middle-Eastern, those 3 are very different. And yes, I am saying realities as a plural of reality).

But I also thought that American cities are carefree, at least from an urban point of view. Little did I know at the time that most of American cities are suffering, and a source of complaint.

68 days, this is how long I have been in the United States. I don’t think I am at a position to judge the current status of sustainability in this country, or draw a comparison. But I do know that there is a big discussion, a big debate, new theories tested and new ideas discussed every day on sustainable subjects. And this is always a sign of vitality that, combined with realization (and good timing) will definitely lead somewhere.

Allow me at this point to introduce something I do know about: Sustainability in the Middle East. The reason this is interesting is the fact that this region had experienced hundreds of years of sedentary living. So while the United States problem is coming back sustainably from a highly industrialized era, the Middle East dilemma is becoming sustainable while maintaining the historical identity (with local and ancestral techniques)

For more information about this subject, I added a document on Dropbox “Sustainibility in ME- grace 19-05-2012.pdf”

 

Studio project:

Oh God! I have been avoiding this question.

I am designing a greenhouse, culinary school, and the apartments dedicated to its employees and students. I think I am trying to make it as ecological as possible. I didn’t include technology yet, and I don’t think I will. My approaches had been local and program driven.

The fact that employee live in the building next to the school is sustainable for me (less transportation).

Growing organic vegetables in a city is promoting the auto sufficiency side of sustainability (education and awareness).

Also, orientation for heat gaining and loss was important in my proposals, especially in the greenhouse.

Last, flexibility in the spaces (residential) is a kind of being sustainable (limitation to absolutely necessary spaces)

That is it for now, live from my wastefully large living room.

Grace Aaraj