Our Planet Earth is facing gargantuan challenge due to human greed crisis. Human greed has pushed Planet Earth towards catastrophic times as our civilization is at the brink of an apocalypse. The “Human Greed Crisis” has been beautifully termed as “Climate Crisis” by international Climate Scientists, the UN and the MSM – Mainstream Media, better known as Misinformation Spreading Machine. However, it is not the ‘Climate’ that is in crisis, but it is the ‘Earth’ that is facing the crisis. So, the right term should be “Earth Crisis” and not “Climate Crisis”.
The younger generation of architects has been more vocal to safeguard their future as compared to seasoned and renowned architects. Architects, Landscape Architects and Urban Planners all across the globe have more responsible and role to play while executing projects and collaborating with Policymakers and concerned parties to safeguard Planet Earth. I have always believed the younger generation of professionals is more pro-active in designing their projects keeping in mind the implications of Earth Crisis. At the same time, it is the duty and responsibility of the seniors in the field to take note of their younger generation’s vision and critique while executing projects to protect Planet Earth.
During my interviews with the younger generation of architects, landscape architects and urban planners, I had put a simple question about Earth Crisis. Here are some of the excerpts:
“Climatic conditions have always been an integral factor in architecture. I am already learning to design for various climatic conditions. Meaning, when I was in India, all the academic projects and the live projects had been sighted in India, which has a completely different climatic condition as compared to New York, where I am living right now and working with sites for my school projects.
Thinking about climatic catastrophes is as important as learning to design for different climatic conditions. It is always better to be proactive than to be reactive. I feel every designer/ architect should be mindful of the environment and try to protect it. That will be the only way to deal with climatic catastrophes, when looking at it as a long term factor.” – MONEESHA KUMAR, Junior Designer @ KPF, NEW YORK, USA
“Resilient and regenerative design is one of my passions. As an aspiring architect, I truly hold responsibility for the future. I believe we should do more and talk less here. Sometimes, I get worried that ‘green washing’ is taking over the good intentions, but the industry as a whole is changing, so that’s a good thing! We need to keep educating ourselves and all the stakeholders in the projects to reduce environmental damage.” – JAVKHLAN NYAMJAV, Architectural Designer @ MSR Design, Minneapolis, USA
“Architects and architecture would play a crucial role in designing the future world. The strategies, like 6-feet distance would be incorporated in designing new areas and spaces. The overall design of the space would highly depend on ventilation techniques. With the new changes and designing aspects, the future built space would make a difference in dealing with these herculean challenges.” – ANUBHA AGARWAL, Freelance Designer, INDIA
“Considering that we live in a globalized consumption world, we consume much more than we produce for nature. Although new nature-friendly products are introduced for us to use or massive sustainable decisions are made by known companies. However, it will be all-for-nothing, unless we give up on our own comfort and change our lifestyle individually, because real sustainability starts from the society, people and in self. In addition to buildings that already produce renewable energy, whose materials are local and sustainable, the new moves should be made to bring a new lifestyle and behavior to humanity that is in harmony with nature. For this reason, one of the professions that will bring such a change of behavior and opinion to people is architecture.
Considering that the current resources in the world will not last for more than a few decades, even if everything is used efficiently, the only way is of architecture by future architects that produces more energy than it consumes, recycles more than it needs, and changes the sustainable perception of people can only wrap the wounds of nature, like a band-aid.” – BILGE KOSEM, Pursuing Master of Science – Computational Design @ Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburg, USA
“In my perspective, it demonstrates the need of having sustainable or climate-responsive designs. The designs should be based on a sustainable understanding of the client, site, climate and community. Every architect is accountable for the modifications they have made to nature, in order to construct a space. It ought to be less harmful and should serve as a deterrent to those who construct in the name of luxury. The purpose of a built environment is always to serve a purpose.” – ASWATHI NAMBIAR, Architectural Designer @ Al Khail Engineering Consultant Company, UAE
“That is a tough question to answer! For what I know, we are learning to design sustainable buildings and that is what we should all do. There are definitely a lot of questions about this too. What is actually sustainable design – High-end technology or Vernacular designs or a combination of the two? I think I have more questions than answers on this topic.
One thing I do believe is that no one person or even a group of people can resolve a challenge like this. Although, I believe architecture is powerful and can improve our environment. It is something we need to conquer together as human kind.” – YIYUE ALLISON LIN, FOUNDER @ Creative Current, New York, USA
“The architects and planners of the future hold a lot of power in affecting change in this arena and using this power responsibly lies in the hand of every individual, who takes the path of an architect or a planner. Now is the best time to bring about change. Like they say, ‘Nothing changes, if nothing changes’.” – SANDRA MOSES, Urban Planner @ City of Medicine Hat, Alberta, CANADA
Photo Credit: Respective Architects
Feature Photo: French Skyline
Photographer: Mandy Rukwa
To be continued….. Watch out our Part II of this New Series