WEEK7: Wines & Uffelen

Are you able to design an ecologically inspired art of building in the Age of Ecology in your present studio?

For me an ecologically inspired building is one that is very much connected to the micro-ecosystem of the environment of its site. That seems separate from an urban site where the ecosystem has long since been destroyed; but within our urban context, I am trying to design a more sustainable building. I have chosen structural systems that use local, renewable materials. My wall system is pre-fabricated and highly insulated, which minimizes on-site erection time and waste. I’ve carefully selected how much glazing, not to lose too much R-value, while gaining building illumination to reduce the lighting costs. My roof integrates a rainwater catchment system with a water feature to take advantage of the resources of this rainy climate. I am doing these things, but I do not feel completely satisfied. I know that I could do more. I also haven’t done any performance calculations to justify these decisions. Unfortunately, there has been little to no emphasis in my studio towards sustainable design; it has been solely driven by each student. I am  hoping that my next studios will push this agenda towards sustainability and push me to do more.

Do you find Uffelen’s historical examples and attention to materials and use convincing?

Yes, I find his examples convincing. I think this is because of the sheer number of examples he gives, their varied place in time, and that they are located all over the world. His attention to materials and their use was helpful in this brief overview of examples. I did have questions of ‘how was the building cited?’, ‘did it utilize any passive strategies?’, and ‘how did it work with its particular climate?’ for example. That tells you his descriptions elicited a desire for a more comprehensive look at his examples. It made me want to read the rest of the book.

Since global warming has been recognized and accepted, “A change in paradigm took place in architecture, setting sustainability as a priority above style or structural function” Do you think this has happened in the U.S.?

I don’t think that style and structural function has been superseded by sustainability as its priority. Here in the US, sustainable buildings are still the minority. Not everyone accepts global warming, nor does everyone care. Money is still the strongest driving factor for some. I think that the sustainable buildings that are being made in the US still adhere to the expectations and desires for aesthetics and, of course, structural function. I think in the US (where not all accept global warming) that these buildings are scrutinized. Architects know this and, in my experience, the sustainable buildings that I have seen are also very beautiful designs.