The future for mankind is visioned by many to be a showcase of artificial intelligence, one where futurism merges with technology creating a planet, well out of Ar. Antonio Sant’elias’ sketches. As we move on to this materialistic era, I fear that we will lose our connection with nature, the true provider that has been our companion throughout evolution. Architecture will always matter as it is a threshold in our daily endeavours, an integral part of our existence. Hence, we should be cautious about how we advance in architecture for the future, it should never be on the accounts of creating destruction on our planet. Sustainability with a sense of humanity needs to be the future of architecture, and technology can very well follow suit.
A Sense of Humanity
A sense of humanity in architecture implies creating user-centric designs in simpler terms. A lot of modern designs exude grandeur and luxury but create very hostile, rigid environments when it comes to livability. We are earthly beings and therefore the spaces that we habituate needs to be organic in terms of design and layout, not sterile and inflexible. Commercialization and urbanization have led to such monotonous and characterless designs that are glazed with glass facades and concrete walls; builders take up these projects due to the lower construction costs of these prototypes. Hence when profit takes the sole purpose of building the values that define these spaces become void-creating spaces that are meaningless and unfriendly to its users.
Creating user-friendly sustainable designs are not costly at all, in turn, it might even be more profitable other than the benefits it will reap its users. Developers and builders have to realize this and take an extra effort to explore different alternatives, only then will our urban cities change from being filled with towering monoliths for buildings to organic cityscapes that breathe life into our being. Organic architecture is just one way of embracing this sense of humanity, there are many others like biophilic design that is being used in hospitals to create a congenial environment for patients and biomimicry.
What the Pandemic taught us
The COVID outbreak has taught us a lot in all means of our life and surely it has proven to urban planners and designers that flexibility is a key requirement in any design. The nationwide lockdown steered people back into their homes which otherwise was a passing space that they would move in and out of freely. Families had to adjust to conducting all their daily activities staying indoors, this posed a challenge to many urban dwellers. Room layouts were changed, spaces reorganized in the hope that one would achieve some level of comfort in their daily routine.
The virus made urban planners question the practicality of a dense urban design that otherwise was beneficial to its dwellers; providing connectivity, accessibility and safety. Isolation which otherwise would never be accepted in an urban landscape became the new normal. This has led to many innovative minds taking a turn from their earlier ideologies of a susceptible living environment. Space could not be compromised with, living in a dense space would take a toll on our mental and physical health, here a sense of humanity was essential. These dense living environments became hotspots for the virus to grown in and became a challenge for social workers as well.
Sustainability in Building Construction
Building Construction is an industry known to generate one of the largest sums of waste in the world. However, this is still not stopping them from constructing new buildings. Modern structures unlike historical buildings are not built to last. Traditional building methods are known for their durability but take a longer time to be built and hence are not considered feasible in the present day and age. Modern construction methods are less time consuming and easier to complete and that is why it is adopted all around the world.
Green building is a strategy adopted to ensure sustainability from the initiation of a project to its completion and even while renovation and maintenance have to be done. This ensures that the building will not negatively impact our environment and instead it will help in its regeneration. Hence a sense of humanity is ensured in green buildings where the air quality and livability are accounted for.
Technology can be utilized for sustainability, there are many avenues in architecture where innovative solutions can make sustainability easier to achieve even for the poor. Thus, the future of Architecture needs to respond to the needs of this planet and its inhabitants to ensure that future generations do not miss out on the marvels that this planet has to offer.
Reference List:
- Hiroyuki Oki. House of Trees [Photograph].
- Precht Designs. Parc De La Distance [Photograph].
- Roger Wong. The Pixel Building [Photograph]. Getty Images
