Lecture 07 - Sustainability isn't about being 'Green'

I feel that the lecture initially addressed an issue that frequently arises in many publications that designers and architectural encounter, and that is 'Green Washing'. I feel that is becoming more of a marketing tool to ease peoples conscience about the impact they are having on the world rather that a driver for changing the way we live. I feel that look at the 'human-centric' rather that a natural environment focus can help us to re-align our values, and feel that Yasuhiro statement about this really captured that.

This lecture really made my consider the practicality of sustainable trends, using the example of green roofs. Although they seem to be an intelligent use of space, when people get sick of maintaining those roofs, there are a list of implications to consider, not the mention the high price of their construction. I also discussed the practically of shipping container architecture with my tutor and was surprised to discover that many of these container are made brand new, which contradicts the basic premise of using the containers in the first place.

The lifespan of an entity is a concept that I have not really thought about in depth, but it makes sense to me that it is important to consider. I was surprised to discover the amount of waste that is produced by fabrication process. The overall sustainability embodied in an architectural entity can be informed by the fabrication methods of all it's components. Also, if the total lifecycle has been set out for the building before it is contructed, then materials can be chosen to break-down or match the lifecycle of the entire building. It seems that we are not aware that we are designing structures that are supposed to last for eternity, although the materials and construction methods do not match this.

The example of the Indian market over a train track made realise how natural, low-tech and organic architectural gestures can be. Although this example could be described as 'self-centric' I it a great example of 'gradle to the grave' architecture, that repeats itself very quickly.

The heirarchical, Ephemeral, Spontaneous and Perment digram has bad me think about architecture as a perminent entity with organic or adaptable elements. And perhaps even creating a structure with different lifecycles intrinsicly planned into it, this may allow the basic functionality layer of the building to last '100 years' while the out socondary layers by be decommisioned, demolished and replaced in cycles ever '10 years' as technology and or needs change.

The example of the Media - ICT building in Barcelona was an example for me about how buildings that move and transform should be site specific, rather than just an idea plonked on any site. It would appear from this example that this same type of construction would perform very poorly in a rural areas and that this original idea was born for the site constraints. It makes me consider to specific construction retraints that building and constructing ina a rural area brings forth.

The example of Quinta Monroy in Chile was an example of planning for future scenerios at a small to moderate scale. This makes me think that to successfully masterplan an architectural entity, we may analyse ever part of a community from there culture to there ecenomic habit and how this type of culture builds, lives and enhabits the areas around them.