John Cameron gave a lecture in March 2008 at the University of Queensland on integrating sustainability. He discussed that good architecture fits within its environment across ecological, functional, emotional, rational and ethical dimensions. Sustainability means meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs. Designing sustainably requires understanding a project's context and implications. Human settlement patterns provide context, and the SMARTER framework establishes project goals.
1. University of Queensland Lectures March 2008 John Cameron B. Arch UQ 1987 Part 1: “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Part 2: “Working with climate and responsive design”
2. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…”
3. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…”
4. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…”
5. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…”
6. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…”
7. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” Good architecture produces buildings that “fit” into their environment…
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9. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” Sustainability: what does it mean? "forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." World Commission on Environment and Development (Bruntland).
10. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” Sustainability: what does it mean? “ Environmental sustainability refers to the environmental actions or impacts of what we do. In moving towards sustainability, we are attempting to reduce our ecological footprint or to tread more lightly on the Earth. This equates to reducing the amount of resources we use (and buy), the waste we produce and the emissions we produce. With every action impacting on the planets ecosystems, from the local to the global, the world is changing and it is not just the climate. ” Source: http://www.griffith.edu.au/ofm/sustainability/content_definition.html
11. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” All living creatures modify their ecosystems. Humans arguably are extreme modifiers. Why? Maslow: hierarchy of needs partly explains why:
13. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” How do we design sustainably? The first step is to maintain a wide-angle view and accept the connectedness of all things.
14. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” How do we design sustainably? Human settlement has understandable patterns also. Every project has a place in the order of things, so the first awareness the designer must achieve is a thorough understanding of where their project sits in the natural order and what implications this has on their design.
15. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are, and build that…” Human settlement has understandable patterns also. Every project has a place in the order of things, so the first awareness the designer must achieve is a thorough understanding of where their project sits in the natural order and what implications this has on their design.
17. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda S.M.A.R.T.E.R. It's all too easy to lose sight of the original purpose of any design project unless it is properly established, quantified, agreed and recorded. S pecific: clear written description of what is intended or required, the outcome needed - the basic aim M easurable: quantify every aspect that is fixed, especially budgets, scale of application – if you can’t measure you can’t manage A greed: with all stakeholders and interested/affected parties R ealistic: always have a realistic intention otherwise the project is inherently flawed T ime-bound: proper start and finish timescales, ideally with milestones and measures along the way E thical: build ethics in from the start to provide an essential frame of reference to maintain integrity R ecorded: write everything down; it's essential for clarification, agreement, management and control
18. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are…”
19. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are…”
20. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are…”
21. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are…”
22. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Know where you are…”
23. John Cameron March 2008 Integrating a sustainability agenda “ Figure out where you are…” … end of part 1
Editor's Notes
University of Queensland Lectures March 2008 John Cameron B.Arch UQ 1987 Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Part 2 “Working with climate and responsive design”
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… From the karmic notion “know who you are and be that” Example: Ice shelter – tough to build in Brisbane, but a great solution for shelter in the snow that is totally natural and recyclable!
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… Santorini – Greece A delightful solution - for the Mediterranean
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… Pueblo adobe structure in central America – great for that climate, not so good in the tropics?
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… San Gimignano, a medieval hill town in Tuscanny – where are the eaves and verandahs? This is built to be a fortress for commerce and habitation.
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… Thatch hut – a tropical solution that sucks in the snow!
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… My message today is that good buildings are those that fit into their environment. When I say “fit” I mean it on many levels:
Part 1 “Integrating a sustainability agenda” Know where you are and build that… My message today is that good buildings are those that fit into their environment. When I say “fit” I mean it on many levels: Ecological – Biodiversity, resource use Functional – Form, fitness for purpose, life-cycle Emotional – Aesthetics, Time, Place (regionalism) Rational – Budget, capital cost, operational cost Ethical – Safe, accessible, culturally appropriate
What is sustainability? The best-known definition of sustainability or sustainable development is the definition by the World Commission on Environment and Development (Bruntland). This suggests that sustainability is defined as "forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs."
Environmental sustainability refers to the environmental actions or impacts of what we do. In moving towards sustainability, we are attempting to reduce our ecological footprint or to tread more lightly on the Earth. This equates to reducing the amount of resources we use (and buy), the waste we produce and the emissions we produce. With every action impacting on the planets ecosystems, from the local to the global, the world is changing and it is not just the climate. http://www.griffith.edu.au/ofm/sustainability/content_definition.html
All living creatures modify their ecosystems. Humans arguably are extreme modifiers. Why? Maslow: hierarchy of needs partly explains why.
As designers we respond to the expressed and the assessed needs of our clients. We surely also have a higher order of responsibility to society to practice in a sustainable manner?
How do we design sustainably? The first step is to maintain a wide-angle view and accept the connectedness of all things.
Human settlement has understandable patterns also. Every project has a place in the order of things, so the first awareness the designer must achieve is a thorough understanding of where their project sits in the natural order and what implications this has on the design.
Every project has a place in the order of things, so the first awareness the designer must achieve is a thorough understanding of where their project sits in the natural order and what implications this has on the design. It does not all need to be “green” all the time. The notion of appropriate forms of development, well considered, leading to sustainable outcomes in a holistic sense.
http://www.dpz.com/transect.aspx Note the assertion that for decreasing natural diversity there is increasing socio-economic diversity. What follows is the notion of balance between urbanised settlement and preserved habitat.
It's all too easy to lose sight of the original purpose of any design project unless it is properly established, quantified, agreed and recorded. Specific (a clear written description of what is intended or required, the outcome needed - the basic aim of the exercise) Measurable (quantify every aspect that is fixed, especially budgets, scale of application, Agreed (with all stakeholders and interested/affected parties) Realistic (even highly conceptual projects need to have a realistic intention or the project is inherently flawed) Timebound (proper start and finish timescales, ideally with milestones (check-points) and measures along the way) Ethical (if you build ethics in from the start you provide a valuable reference point to maintain integrity) Recorded (write everything down; it's essential for clarification, agreement, management and control)
The grass hut is a pragmatic solution to a set of regional conditions.
San Gimignano is the product of some very pragmatic circumstances, and a few higher order (Maslow) needs.
Santorini works for the Aegean…
Hard to think of a more sustainable structure – for Eskimos!
There are concentric circles of influences around every project. These are physical, political, emotional, regional, ecological, financial, cultural… you can name and classify any number. The challenge is to identify what are the most important and why, for your project in its place and time.
