[greenbuild] Re: AIA article
- From: "Christian Nielsen-Palacios" <cnp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <greenbuild@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 12:59:23 -0400
Jay:
Apparently, this exhibit is currently in NY....
The American Institute of Architects, Colorado Chapter Committee on the =
Environment
is proud to announce that we are bringing in the acclaimed exhibit:
"10 Shades of Green"
for the 2001 AIA National Convention in Denver
This exhibit, organized by the Architectural League of New York, features =
the best and brightest examples of sustainable design from around the =
world. Architectural Record featured the exhibit in its May 2000 issue, =
and New York Times Architecture Critic, Herbert Muschamp said, "'Ten =
Shades of Green' should not just be seen*it should be enacted into =
law*Perhaps it would be more productive to say that 'Ten Shades of Green' =
presents the 10 most beautiful European buildings, that it includes work =
by famous architects and a handful of hot young stars."
The multi-media exhibit features exquisite graphics, detailed models, =
interactive computer models and interviews with the design teams, and will =
be on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art - Denver in LoDo!
The best part of this outstanding exhibit is that it will be on display, =
not just for architects during the convention (May 18-20, 2001), but for =
the general public as well, from May 17 to June 17!
Your underwriting of this exhibit will help in the promotion of "green" =
design, and in establishing that you are a patron of sustainability, which =
Architectural Record calls, "The future of architecture."
For more information on "Ten Shades of Green", visit the website at =
http://www.tenshadesofgreen.org.
Please contact James Plagmann, AIA, Committee on the Environment member, =
at (303) 403-0342, or Peggy Kinsey, AIA, Committee on the Environment =
Chair, at (303) 294-9448, or the person who gave you this brochure, for =
more details regarding sponsorship of "Ten Shades of Green"
INTRODUCTION
Peter Buchanan, Curator
ARCHITECTURE ALONE CANNOT CREATE A SUSTAINABLE CULTURE. It can, however, =
make a major contribution to the pressing quest to devise ways of life =
that are less taxing on the earth's resources and capacities for regenerati=
on. Buildings account for nearly half the energy consumption of developed =
countries, and therefore are the major cause of global warming, the most =
tangibly urgent of environmental problems.
But green design is not only about energy efficiency, and it is not purely =
a technical matter. Instead it involves a whole nexus of interrelated =
issues, the social, cultural, psychological and economic dimensions of =
which are as important as the technical and ecological--thus the 'ten =
shades' of this exhibition's deliberately ambiguous title. Ten shades =
refers to ten key issues that need to be considered to create a fully =
green architecture: low energy/high performance, replenishable sources; =
recycling; embodied energy; long life, loose fit; total life cycle =
costing; embedded in place; access and urban context; health and happiness;=
and community and connection. It refers as well to the built schemes that =
are the exhibition's focus, and to their various degrees of 'greenness.'
The buildings on display represent a variety of building types and =
architectural and engineering approaches. None was chosen because it is =
the most energy-efficient example of its type, or because it fully meets =
every criterion of the 'ten shades' (although Hopkins' Jubilee Campus is a =
remarkably comprehensive and accomplished work of green design on all =
counts). Rather, these particular buildings were chosen because they are =
complete works of architecture: buildings in which environmental responsibi=
lity is fully integrated with formal ambition and responsiveness to an =
enlightened vision of community life.
And they were chosen for their contrasts. The jewel-like Gotz Headquarters =
uses a sophisticated double-wall system and hundreds of electronic sensors =
to capture and distribute the energy of the sun, while the Minnaert =
Building demonstrates the possibility of designing the building fabric to =
do work typically left to a mechanical system, thereby retaking more of =
the budget for architecture. The Mont-Cenis Training Center shows how an =
enormous building envelope can create a microclimate that shelters new =
space for public life, reduces construction costs, and harvests enough =
ambient energy to eliminate the use of fossil fuels and even export =
energy. The four North American houses exhibited, amalgamated as one of =
the ten designs in recognition that no single house could represent such a =
large continent, show the continuation of the tradition of learning from =
the vernacular to respond appropriately to site, climate and local =
materials. The Beyeler Foundation Museum demonstrates that energy =
efficiency can be achieved even under the demands of maintaining closely =
controlled conditions for displaying art, while the Cotton Tree housing =
beautifully makes clear the possibility of achieving animated, place-specif=
ic, energy-efficient design on the constrained budgets available for =
public housing.
AS A GROUP, THE BUILDINGS PRESENTED MAKE SEVERAL CRUCIAL POINTS:
* There is no such thing as a green architecture or a green aesthetic. =
Instead there are countless ways design can address and synthesize green =
issues.=20
* Green design is not merely a matter of add-ons or product specification. =
It involves more than insulation, low-emissivity glass, non-polluting =
paints, and water-conserving toilets. Rather, it influences the form of =
the whole building and is one of its major generators from the first =
moments of the design process.=20
* As a corollary, pursuing a green agenda is no constraint on creativity =
but instead a major stimulus towards an architecture that is innovative, =
significant, and relevant.=20
* Greenness is not incompatible with the highest levels of architectural =
excellence. Europe's leading architects are also among its best exponents =
of green design.=20
* Green design acknowledges the dynamic interaction of buildings with =
their immediate natural setting and ambient forces. It is these interaction=
s on which the design process focuses as much as on the resultant form of =
the building. This way of working draws on and parallels the most up to =
date insights from science.=20
* Many green buildings represent the leading edge of engineering design. =
In particular, the design of buildings such as Commerzbank or the Jubilee =
Campus is the product of predictive modeling techniques. Their functioning =
depends on neural network software and a myriad of sensors. Such buildings,=
which are produced through close collaboration with engineers from the =
first moments of design, need to be far more precisely engineered than =
conventional buildings.
The majority of the buildings presented come from Europe. There, individual=
governments have enacted stringent environmental standards for new =
buildings. The European Union has fostered green design by sponsoring =
applied research combining innovative technology and design. Clients, =
attracted by the economic advantages of green buildings, along with =
architects and engineers, have risen to the challenge of producing high =
performance buildings designed for long-term use.
The United States is far behind, and American architects will have to work =
very hard, very fast to catch up. Among the many challenges this poses, =
several stand out. Clients and architects will have to learn to think long =
term, rather than short term. They will have to rethink their measures of =
the impacts and profitability of a building, and consider its legacy to =
future generations. Architects and engineers will have to learn to work =
more collaboratively. They will also need to reopen themselves to =
understanding of, and respect for, the functioning of the natural =
world--an understanding that was once an expected part of an architect's =
knowledge and is currently the locus of cutting edge discovery and =
invention in other fields.
The challenges are significant, but the potential rewards are immense: an =
architecture consonant with, rather than destructive of, the natural =
world; an architecture that supports community; an architecture that =
offers much richer sensual experience of the environment and an intensified=
sense of place; an architecture, in short, that increases the quality of =
life.
Note: A great deal more information about "10 Shades of Green" is =
available on the Architecture League of New York's web page at http://www.a=
rchleague.org
>>> Jay Jacobson <jay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 4/19/01 9:01:42 AM >>>
Christian;
I'll be visiting my sister in NYC soon and I wonder if there are =
any good
examples of green buildings there that I could see. None of the awards =
are
for a building in NYC.
I'm interested in things like rooftop gardens, solar hot-water, =
passive
solar using thermal mass.
Thanks.
Jay
At 04:06 PM 4/18/01 -0400, you wrote:
>
>http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisjustin/tjistories/0416tjiearthday.htm=
=3D20=3D=20
>
>
>This link will take you to an article about 10 "Green" buildings that are =
=3D
>receiving an Earth Day award... I have not read it yet.
>
>Christian Nielsen-Palacios, AIA
>607-277-7183 (x5288)
>
>Thomas Associates, Architects and Engineers, PC
>215 The Commons
>Ithaca, NY 14850
>(607) 277-7100
>(607) 277-1410 fax
>
>www.TheThomasGrp.com=20
>
>
>
>
>
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