Thesis #8 - Architectural Approaches

Possible Design Solutions

Acknowledging that the Earth is alive, we then ask if there are architectural design methods that can express this reality to those who dwell in such a place. If a site can radiate ‘aliveness’, then people are more likely to treat such a place with respect. Wilderness areas often evoke such a feeling of being sacred by virtue of legal protection from most destructive human activities. Yet people do need places to live, and we do need to interact with the Earth, even if to just simply survive. Our task is to find positive ways for providing for our needs. We must develop ways that not only benefit us but that benefit the Earth as well.

What follows is a look at some different approaches to ecological dwelling. First, we will consider the importance of addressing structural issues. Next, we will explore the schools of Sacred Geometry, Feng Shui, and Pattern Language. Included will be a specific look at color and form. Finally, we will evaluate the necessity of using natural materials and consider their role in a possible transition to a cooperative economy.

Sustainability & Localization

Before delving into the psychological aspects of design, we must begin by acknowledging the structural necessity of building for sustainability and localization. For if we apply sacred principles to conventional structures, built according to modern industrial design, we are doing nothing more than granting new life to an unsustainable paradigm. This approach not only does not send us forward but actually hinders us from making progress through the illusion that our present situation is tenable.

Sustainability means building structures and systems today that can be maintained indefinitely into the future. Current practices are nowhere near this ideal and, in general, are moving in the opposite direction, that of decreasing quality and longevity. Localization means satisfying our needs from sources that are as close to home as possible. Current policies, once again have been moving in the wrong direction. As corporations increase their economic control in the name of ‘globalization’, we find an increasing number of our basic needs being satisfied by imported goods, often from countries with labor and environmental standards that we would not accept here. Sustainability and localization have three aspects. Our design and construction need to be appropriate in terms of ecology, society, and economy.

Ecologically appropriate means building with, rather than against, Nature. Since the vast majority of a building’s energy costs occur after construction, it means capturing energy from solar, wind, hydro, and/or geothermal sources to reduce or eliminate the need for heating, cooling, and electricity. Ecological design also means accounting for our wastes whether through composting, greywater irrigation, or efficient fuel burning. In an essay entitled “Regenerative Building,” natural builder Michael Smith, describes houses as consuming, breathing, and excreting just as animals do but on a far larger scale. He contends that we must understand the material and energy cycles of our buildings. Ultimately, the house must restore, rather than degrade, the surrounding land.

Socially appropriate design does not isolate the individual or the nuclear family. Rather, it encourages the development of community. Current development practices, in the process of maximizing profit, segregate us by turning our houses toward the street and fencing in our long narrow private lots. If we could reorient these houses around to face each other over a broad commons in the middle, we could take a large step toward building community. By reminding us of our connections to each other, social design provides more likelihood that we will act responsibly toward our neighbors.

Economically appropriate design empowers the inhabitants instead of placing us at the mercy of government and corporations. Conventional housing design not only guarantees having to pay rising utility bills but often forces us into searching for outside income. Economic design begins by minimizing and stabilizing the costs of heating and cooling, electric power and water systems. Appropriate design also provides enough land area and roof surface so that we can be self-sufficient in terms of food and water needs. Finally, economic design provides us with the opportunity to develop a market garden, a cottage industry, or some other income generating activity, at home.

Once these sustainable ecological, social, and economic aspects are in place, we can turn our attention to beauty and appeal. However, if we have designed these structural systems with esthetics in mind, then ornamentation can easily emerge. Even though, as mentioned earlier, sustainable systems have been well-tested and are ready to be widely implemented, many people continue to associate self-sufficiency with deprivation and suffering. This is where the psychological aspects of design gain in importance. If we can bypass these former mental associations, and portray a sustainable life as beautiful and desirable, then we might inspire enough people to take this path themselves, and thus begin a deep cultural transformation.