Regenerative architecture: Regenerating Earth’s lost plenitude
REGENERATIVE architecture goes far beyond the concept of green building and sustainability, but more often than not, it is where the reader’s mind goes when the subject arises.
The concept of green and sustainable design aims for
- tion of available resources. It is about doing less harm. “reductionism.”
In contrast, regenerative architecture heals the negative ecological impacts created by human development. It focuses on replenishing the earth’s resources. It does not only restore, but also improves the surrounding natural environment by enhancing the quality of life for biotic (living) and abiotic (synthetic) components of the natural and built environment. It has the capacity to increase social and natural capital or in the words of Sim van der Ryn, it has the ability to “restore the lost plenitude.”
It is best explained on the article “Sustainability is dead: Regenerative architecture is the new green” by Carbonnier and Babtiwale of HMC Architects, which said “its original premise was to meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their needs — all within available resources.” But, does that make sense? Imagine a bucket It is about we don’t compromise the needs of future generations.” They added, “the current population adjusts its needs to provide the next generation access to a bucket of equal quantities of resources. The problem is, world population is growing at breakneck speed. In 1900, we had 1.6 billion living on the planet. In 2050, we’re expected to reach 9 billion. Let that sink in.”
Human Centric to Bio Centrism Humanity prides itself for building iconic structures that best represents their epoch. Technological and engineering advancements greatly contributed in improving human needs — function, strength and safety, and character and comfort — to satisfy human needs and ego.
To achieve a considerable good building, a human-centric design (HCD) approach is necessary to employ. This involves consideration of people right from the start and places them at the center of the problem- solving design process. The people’s problems, goals, needs, thinking, emotions and behavior are all considered to arrive in particular effective design solutions.
Humans race to build mag
The graphic representation of Ego shows man on top of the food chain and considers him as the supreme species while the other image Eco, shows man as part of the ecosystem. ( The author does not own these images. Credit goes to the owner).
and environment resulted into massive loss of resources or natural capital and directly affected how humans live. Suddenly, they are not the supreme species anymore. If humans continue to disregard nature, the two will run parallel and will never meet in harmony at any other point unless
system. The earth has been existent for several millions of years and will continue to exist without man while man cannot live without nature.
- thropogenic era and the importance of other biota, it is appropriate to engage on a more holistic thinking of Bio Centric Design.
The new paradigm:
The image is a modification showing the Vitruvian man as part of the ecosystem-man as nature. A new paradigm reconfiguring Vitruvius’ attributes: The author does not own this image.
times, the ‘brutalist’ functionalism of the 20th century and the parametrics and technologically advanced buildings of the present time, archi
- man needs and even whims guided by these three attributes.
remain the same over decades or even centuries, interacting little with their environment. Architecture of the past and up to now, is a stand-alone structure. It continues
none to little relevance to our latent and patent enormous problem facing in the very near tomorrow.
buildings that sprout at an alarming rate on our ever- expanding megacities are the very reason for the collapse of our environment. This causes an irreversible damage to our environment that it changes the earth’s climate pattern.
Our situation has radically changed. We have entered the new era of anthropocene. A new condition that requires new approach, a new paradigm: utilitas (appropriate spatial accommodation) + (structural stability) + venustas (attractive appearance) = “oikos” or ecology.
Regenerative architecture is sensitive enough to interact with the fragile environment. It offers an opportunity for a complete change in the way
-
- ship between the built environment, human and ecological systems.
From seeing buildings as necessarily resource-consuming commodities, as most speculative developers do, to seeing them as part of local and regional systems, with potential overcome the instinct to build things the way we have always been built. We should build more of less (resources and harmful to environment). We must acknowledge the destruction we have created and take responsibility for shaping a better future. Understanding the values of our resources helps us to handle them with greater care and respect, thus, our ability to produce “more with less.”
Most of us would like to make a change, but are not in the position to assert new and impactful technologies. Our focus needs to shift and be more about healing and less about “improving.”
that regenerative design could offer must be that it could enable us to live, work and play in genuinely sustainable places. It offers a pathway to a future where development can “give back:” not just ecologically, but also in terms of livability. This may seem a bit too Utopian for some, and there is a huge amount of work to be done around the widespread.
Who could argue with the coming of “regenerative design’? It is here to mend a huge gap; correcting how we live and treat other species on the ecosystem. Regenerative design is here to correct the way we treat our one and only home — mother earth.
*** ThewriteristhecurrentSecretary GeneraloftheUnitedArchitects ofthePhilippines.HeisanEnvironmental RegenerativeArchitecture.Heisa pioneergraduateofBSArchitecture architectgraduatedfromPolytechnic UniversityofthePhilippines.Heis thePresident/CEOofYumangDesign ConstructionandDev.CoandProperty