Architecture's ripple effect: Designing for big impact | Thomas Bryans | TEDxGuildford

Summary

This script discusses the profound impact of architecture on individuals, communities, the economy, and the environment. It highlights how modernism's legacy has led to negative externalities, such as high CO2 emissions from buildings. The speaker advocates for designing with the 'ripple effect' in mind, sharing examples of projects that enhance community, support local economies, and improve health and biodiversity. The talk concludes with the idea that architecture can be a force for good when designed with a holistic approach.

Takeaways

• 🏗️ Buildings have a profound impact on individuals, communities, the economy, and the environment, extending beyond their physical presence.
• 🌐 Modern architecture, emerging from the Industrial Revolution, has led to designs that sometimes neglect the long-term environmental consequences.
• 🔥 Large glass skyscrapers and other modern buildings can contribute to significant CO2 emissions and have negative climate impacts.
• 🌿 Incorporating greenery and urban forestry in architecture can improve mental health and reduce the risk of urban flooding.
• 🌱 Historical practices like barn raisings demonstrate the social interdependence and community support that architecture can foster.
• 💡 Designing with the 'ripple effect' in mind can lead to buildings that strengthen local communities and connect people.
• 🌟 A small architectural intervention, like 'The Smile' in London, can transform a building into a vibrant community asset with a minimal budget.
• 👥 Engaging diverse stakeholders is essential for creating spaces that serve the community's needs, such as co-working and job support centers.
• 🏫 Schools can use architectural projects as educational tools, teaching students about sustainability and the impacts of buildings.
• 🌳 Green roofs, solar panels, and biodiversity enhancements can make buildings carbon neutral and beneficial to the local ecosystem.
• 🌍 A holistic approach to architecture considers social, economic, and environmental impacts to create sustainable and contextually responsive designs.

Q & A

What is the fundamental purpose of buildings?

The fundamental purpose of buildings is to provide shelter.

How do buildings impact individuals and society beyond their walls?

Buildings affect communities, the economy, and the environment, with these ripple effects potentially lasting for decades or centuries.

What is modernism in architecture and how did it emerge?

Modernism in architecture emerged at the beginning of the 20th century out of the Industrial Revolution, liberating architecture from its past through cheap fossil fuels.

What are the negative externalities of industrialization on the built environment?

The negative externalities include large glass skyscrapers that can burn and contribute to climate change, with a third of global CO2 emissions coming from the built environment.

How do buildings contribute to global energy and resource consumption?

Buildings use 40 percent of global energy, 40 percent of global resources, and around a quarter of the world's water supply.

What is the concept of 'barn raisings' and how does it relate to architecture?

'Barn raisings' refers to a practice in rural Europe and the United States where communities would come together to build barns, demonstrating the social interdependence and support that buildings can foster.

What are the benefits of urban greenery mentioned in the script?

Urban greenery has financial and psychological benefits, increases biodiversity, reduces rainwater runoff, mitigates storm effects, and improves mental health.

How did the Waterloo project transform a temporary building into a community asset?

The Waterloo project transformed a temporary building by adding a vibrant visual asset to the streetscape and creating a co-working space that supports startups and job seekers.

What is the educational aspect of the Sint Teresa School project?

The Sint Teresa School project uses the design and building process as an educational tool for students, teaching them about architecture, sustainability, and the impacts of buildings.

How does the Joseph Walsh project in County Cork aim to be holistically sustainable?

The Joseph Walsh project aims for holistic sustainability by implementing a closed-loop water cycle, using renewable biomass for heating, and enhancing biodiversity with large photovoltaic arrays and tree planting.

What is the significance of designing with the 'big picture' in mind?

Designing with the 'big picture' in mind allows architects to maximize the positive social, economic, and environmental impacts of buildings, benefiting everyone.