Sustainability in Architecture and Design

Sustainability in architecture and design has really been pushed to the forefront of design within the past few years.  Creating beautiful spaces that are contributing to conserving our environments resources truly amazing.  I feel as though in the past things that were "green" or "energy efficient" weren't exactly the most pleasing to the eye and could even be called an eye sore, that is certainly not the case anymore.
The four leading sustainable designers today include Glen Murcutt, Ken Yeang, Renzo Piano, Michelle Kaufman, and David Arkin.

Michelle Kaufman

Michelle Kaufman's design philosophy is based on creating "thoughtful design."  This means creating beautiful spaces working with nature, using less and using modern technology reduce consumption.  She specializes in pre-fab and modular construction.   Michelle compares the building of your vehicle to support pre-fab and modular home building.  You wouldn't build your car in your driveway so why does your home need to be constructed on site?




 She produces a "green solution" to home building by using eco-friendly materials, low energy options and thoughtful space planning.  With so much effort put into creating these green homes no attention to detail is lost on appearance.  Here are some renderings of beautiful homes she has created while abiding by her design philosophy to keep things green.  She has definitely become an inspiration for me and wanting to learn more about sustainable design.



Renzo Piano

As whimsical as his name, Renzo Piano creates incredible spaces that embody adventure, freedom and in some cases, literally, come to life.  One of his notable designs resides here in San Francisco. The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is an incredible structure which is now the worlds largest LEED Platinum Rated public building and the "greenest" museum in the world.





Piano created a 197,000 square foot living roof above the museum.  He wanted it to seem as though he lifted up the park and built the museum under it, and he exquisitely achieved that.





David Arkin: Arkin-Tilt Architects

At Arkin-Tilt Architects the team founded their practice on the basis of five main goals.  I think they have really nailed the core principles of creating sustainable design.
Below from: http://www.arkintilt.com/process/goals.html

1.  Harmonize with the site:  The site is the starting point. We assess the site conditions (topography, vegetation, climate, context, local traditions and available resources, etc.), graph the sun path and diagram the site constraints and views. From this information we write a clear, simple statement of the best strategy to meet needs and goals. We also apply Chris Alexander’s pattern of leaving the ‘best spot’ on the site alone; then building in the area most in need of repair.

2.  Build as little as possible:  reducing square footage saves resources, saves energy, and can also save money; building less can also allow for a greater level of detail within the space provided. We also look for opportunities to work with existing structures and improve them, both in their thermal and passive performance, and aesthetically.

3.  Minimize energy dependence: The single largest impact over a building’s lifetime is energy usage. Buildings should be able to heat and cool themselves and generate their own electricity. Passive heating and cooling are a good place to start: daylighting plus efficient systems reduce energy demands to a point where renewable sources can be integrated into the design, creating self-sufficient structures.

4.  Maximize Resource efficiency: Careful material specification yields considerable use of reused and recycled materials, plus resource efficient building systems like straw-bale and rammed earth. Getting these materials or systems into the project can require additional research or coordination with suppliers and, in some cases, sourcing or fabricating. In straw-bale or earth construction, we provide information to building officials, sometimes conducting tests during construction.

5.  Demonstrate the beauty of ecological design:  We strongly believe that for ecological design to take hold, it must be uplifting and inspire delight in the natural world. Ecology is the true basis of good design – in daylighting and rich materials, in buildings that naturally suit their site and climate.