Climate Change Architecture Projects
Ken Reels
For decades, scientists have been warning us about global warming, and the consequences of human actions on the planet in the form of environmental disasters. The construction sector is today one of the major contributors to global warming and the climate crisis. According to data of the United Nations (UN), currently, 36% of the global energy is dedicated to buildings and 8% of all pollutant emissions are caused by the production of concrete alone.
In order to address the challenges of global climate change, and aiming to be the world capital of reduction of CO2 by reducing 50% of its carbon emissions, Rotterdam developed a set of self-sustainable floating structures in 2013, with ambitious plans to adapt to rising sea levels.
Built in India, this housing project is an applied research and demonstration project of Sustainable and Integrated Urban Living Project, used for benchmarking in housing. Appropriated due to the present global crisis of energy and climate change, it presents solutions in order to achieve a sustainable development, seeking to upgrade the capability of the currently unorganized construction sector of India, encouraging the transition of buildings with high embodied energy materials to technology and building materials that may reduce the carbon footprint.
Using local building materials and skills, the residences become a net energy-positive habitat by generating their own renewable energy. Some crucial items of the project are: zero-discharge of water, reduction and recycling of solid waste, local endemic species landscaping, and growing organic food. In addition, some natural consequences of the campus set-up are the reduction of journeys by integrating work and living spaces, coordinating community and infrastructure, as well as the adoption of clean mobility options like e-vehicles for external contact.
Taking into account the impact of climate change and sea-level rise in the last few years, and the coastal erosion and tropical rains that have overloaded the current system, NL Architects developed this project for Makoko school. It was designed as a floating prototype to encourage architecture and urbanism of the coastal cities of Africa, creating houses, community centers and playgrounds with the same system.
Designed for 100 students and their teachers, the school offers 100m of area and 10 meters of ceiling height. The project uses around 256 recycled plastic barrels to float on the water and reused wood structure. The electricity relies on solar panels, while the rainwater collection facilitates the use of odorless composting, installed as a solution for the nonexistent sewer system, making it self-sustainable.
Using zero waste as a constructive strategy, this project was developed around two highly rapidly deployable and reusable systems. The zero-waste strategy considered time, materials, costs and the afterlife of the elements. The box-truss system, including the roof, takes a maximum of approximately 7 days to deploy. The membrane takes a maximum of approximately 3 days to install. Overall, the time frame to complete WonderWall would be of about 10-15 days. The cellular membrane once taken down can be reused for other functions.
According to Ingels, "The only constant in the universe is change. Our world is always changing, and right now, our climate is changing. No matter how critical the crisis is, and it is, this is also our collective human superpower. That we have the power to adapt to change and we have the power to give form to our future".
The climate in Madrid in 2050 will look more like the climate in Marrakesh, Morocco today. Stockholm will feel more like Budapest, London like Barcelona, Moscow like Sofia, Seattle like San Francisco, and Tokyo like Changsa in China.
The research "Understanding Climate Change Starting with an Analysis of Similar Cities" published in the scientific magazine PLOS ONE by The Crowther Lab of ETH Zurich, paints a grim picture of the future for the world's urban centers.
Modernism always wanted to have it both ways: on the one hand, modernist architecture was supposed to be, in theory, the same in all places; that's one reason why modernism in architecture was also called the International Style. If all modernist buildings look the same, when you see one you have seen them all: no need for further travel. Yet throughout the 20th century modernist culture and technology enthusiastically endorsed and favored travel. In the 60s we traveled to the Moon, and civil aviation made the world smaller. In modernist culture, travel was good. It made all travelers better, happier humans. It was good to learn foreign languages and to go see distant places. High modernist travel was not only good; it was also cool. The jet setters of the 60s were the coolest citizens of the world. Even later in the 20th century the general expectation was that borderless, seamless travel would keep getting easier and more frequent. Most Europeans of my generation grew up learning two or more foreign languages, and it was not unusual until recently to be born in one country, to study in another, and find one's first job in a third one. That was seen as an opportunity, not as a deprivation.
As the world recognizes Earth Day 2019, the public discourse is increasingly dominated by citizen action across the world manifesting a widespread fear and frustration at a perceived lack of action by governments and officials to confront the issue forthrightly. From the Extinction Rebellion protests that have gripped London, to school student strikes across 125 countries, global cities are increasingly finding themselves on the front line of a battle to limit the effects of global warming.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced plans for a $10 billion coastal resilience project, designed to protect Lower Manhattan from flooding. In an editorial piece in New York Magazine, Mayor de Blasio outlined the ambitious plans to alter the waterfront of the Financial District, constructing a major infrastructural element up to 500 feet into the East River.
Join us, December 9th, for an overview of the latest climate science, climate-wise landscape strategies, and projects relevant to landscape architects in Florida. It will also include a summary of current resources and research being produced by University of Florida faculty and others to assist with landscape-based adaptation to sea level rise, temperature, precipitation, salinity, and other changes as a result of climate change.
Climate change is a pressing issue that we all face, casting its evident impact across every sector of the industry. As global warming worsens, architects now have the opportunity to establish new benchmarks in environmental improvement.
Architects can help combat climate change in many ways. One of the most significant ways is by designing buildings that are energy-efficient, which reduces carbon emissions and saves energy costs. This can be achieved through the use of sustainable materials, such as recycled materials and those with low embodied energy. But, also through the implementation of energy-efficient technologies, such as solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling systems.
Architects have a significant impact on the environment, and it is essential that they consider the ecological footprint of their designs. The materials used in construction, transportation, and waste disposal all have an impact on the environment. By using sustainable materials, architects can reduce the carbon emissions associated with construction, as well as minimize waste and promote the circular economy.
Transportation is another significant contributor to carbon emissions. Architects can help reduce the environmental impact of transportation by designing buildings that are easily accessible by public transportation or by encouraging the use of bikes and walking. Architects can also design buildings that have a smaller footprint, reducing the amount of land that needs to be developed.
Architects have a significant responsibility to our natural environment. As stewards of the built environment, architects have the power to create sustainable, healthy, and livable spaces that promote the well-being of people and the planet.
The role of the architect in sustainability is to design buildings that are environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially equitable. This requires a deep understanding of sustainable design principles, as well as an understanding of the local climate, culture, and context.
By using sustainable design principles, such as climate-responsive design, passive design, and the use of sustainable materials, architects can create buildings that are energy-efficient and have a lower ecological footprint. However, sustainable design is not a one-time effort, but rather a process of continuous improvement.
Designed by IBUKU, is a prime example of a green building, using all natural materials in construction. Located in Bali, Indonesia, the building represents the excellence of engineering in using a series of bamboo arches in modern architecture. The building serves as the new gymnasium of the world famous alternative school; Green School in Bali.
As an environmentally friendly high-rise structure and one of the tallest timber buildings in the world, it was constructed using a wide range of innovative solutions in mass timber construction.
Located in Vancouver, Canada, designed by MGA Michael Green Architecture, a world leading architectural firm specialized in timber buildings and large-scale sustainable construction, serves as a spacious marina for sailboats.
is a renovation project located in Vietnam, designed by VTN Architects (Vo Trong Nghia Architects). Pioneering in the use of bamboo in modern architecture, VTN Architects has designed the building using locally sourced materials.
Recognizing the unique characteristic of bamboo and its lightweight nature, the construction was carried out with fewer labor and tailored to suit the tropical climate, utilizing readily available bamboo materials.