Just good architecture.
An essential challenge of architecture, and what differentiates it from sculpture and painting, is to accommodate human function as well as the human spirit. A building that ignores one of these factors at the expense of the other may be good in its own way, but cannot be considered a complete architectural solution. A true solution integrates program and systems, with form and materiality. Functional aspects of a building should be expressive, and expressive aspects functional. The condition of the environment is one of the defining problems of our time, and belatedly the building community is coming to understand that we are a large part of this problem (in some sectors the largest part). Construction has direct and indirect effects on energy, water, waste, and transportation; and also profoundly shapes and embodies human behavior and aspirations. However, architecture today is a long way from sustainable, and the green building movement for the most part does not fullyrecognize the scale of the problems, or by extension, the nature of the solutions. We are interested in environmental factors as a source of design inspiration for two reasons: because they are important in themselves, and also because they make for better quality architecture. We do not define our work in the context of environmental alarmism, “restorative” design, or biomimicry - ultimately we have a traditional approach to architecture, embracing placemaking, sensitivity to context, urbanism and appropriate technology. If we achieve these goals, we are doing our job. |
