What Surrounds You

Sustainability is defined as our ability to meet our present needs without compromising the abilities of future generations to meet their own. The three Es (Economy, Ecology, and Equality) and the three Ps (People, Planet, Profit) are simple guides for sustainability as a consideration in decision-making.

These ideals can combine with 3 current pillars of architecture to come up with a new series of precepts: program, economy, operation, and harmony.

-Program describes the purpose of the building and its ability to carry out that function for the ease and comfort of those who would inhabit it. It is most concerned with people and the human element of the architectural experience.

-Economy speaks to the ability of a building to stand and is concerned primarily with its production and use of materials both physical and nonphysical. It is most concerned with the component parts of that which makes up a building and minimizing waste.

-Operation is all about the performance of a building in all of the non-human aspects, such as light, air, water, and energy. Economy and operation are strongly related and are opposite sides of the same coin; one has profound effects on the other.

-Finally, harmony is an expression of the building as a whole and how well it relates to itself, the world around it, and those who use it. It is the most subjective of the pillars and is mostly aesthetic. Similar to the relationship of economy to operation, harmony is the reciprocal of program; one is the consideration of the building unto itself, the other the consideration of the building unto the world...

 

In the weeks to come, these four pillars will be covered in more depth looking at the theoretical, practical, and technological ins and outs of Sustainable architecture- the International Style of the 21st century.

Via Lauren Moss, Isalyne Couteaux, Adela Ciurea

This 3070 sq ft single family residence with detached garage is located on a 42 ft wide lot in Vancouver. The Dunbar Residence explores the potential for diversity of spatial experience in a home with a flexible plan that accommodates changes in everyday family life. In response to the owners‘ love of nature, interior-exterior relationships are established with outdoor patios and gardens at all levels. Spatially, light is used to define scale and intimacy within the home.

Designed and oriented for passive solar, the project also employs ultra high efficiency windows, solar hot water heating and a high performance heating / cooling system, including heat recovery that allow the home to operate with low energy consumption. The careful selection of appliances, plumbing fixtures, and lighting also reduce energy and water consumption. Interior elements, such as flooring and millwork, include recycled materials and low/no emission finishes. Planters on the roof reduce heat reflectance and rainwater runoff. Landscape design makes use of native, drought tolerant plant species and reclaimed stone.

The home was built by Natural Balance Home Builders Inc., a construction company that specializes in green building.

Via Lauren Moss

Via Green

The CUBE – dining with a view – is a pavilion designed by Park Associati to house an itinerant restaurant commissioned by Electrolux. Designed to be placed in unexpected and dramatic European locations,..

Via Vagan, liam beattie

Via Green

Pulgon Diseño have designed the Spanish Pavilion at Floriade 2012 in Venlo, The Netherlands.

The construction criterion arose from the conceptual approaches that have resulted in the slogan “naturally diverse”, highlighting the importance of diversity and natural richness. Likewise, the idea Cradle to Cradle is also present in the exhibition, and the designed spaces will allude to cycles and continuity as added and essential values, in a modern concept of sustainability and of the use of natural resources.

Some of the materials, serving both as support and as coating and paving, have had different previous uses: wood from fruit boxes, planks and wood from building works, demolition beams, sleepers. Others come from remainders of agriculture products such as nut shells or trunks from burnt forests. This way, the C2C remains unchanged, in terms of conceptuality and formality...

Via Lauren Moss

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