For a long time, architecture and the rise of the urban landscape were seen as being entirely incompatible with nature. The very notion of creating a man-made structure screamed destruction and disregard to the natural world. This definitive conclusion was not altogether constructed from fiction though and statistics from programs such as the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) emphasise the detrimental impact human action is having on the natural landscape. They state that as of 2020, “the construction industry is responsible for 49% of Carbon emissions in the UK.” [1] The process of constructing a building will undoubtedly use up energy and finite resources, but the question myself and many architecture firms are asking is – are we able to work in a more sustainable and reciprocal manner?
Many architects and engineering firms are employing designs that incorporate natural elements and minimise the need for excess energy consumption. However, while a lot of changes are being seen in the end usage domain I don’t believe enough is being done in the initial construction phase to minimise environmental impact. From the 2020 LETI report, 31% of total UK greenhouse emissions is caused by transportation and so while that is not exclusively linked to the construction sector, the distance our resources and building materials travel needs to decrease. This idea of locally sourced produce is being applied to the multiple facets of climate change – noticeable areas I have seen this be implemented in is the food industry. A greater focus on local, seasonal produce rather than mass imported food is beginning to change consumer habits for the better. As with food, the change begins with awareness – we have managed to identify alternative local ways to buy more of our food, so can that idea be used in construction?
There is the argument that a material’s original location is very much dependant on its geological and geographical terrain. However, an integral part of architecture for me is that a building, as well as being uniquely innovative and creative, should echo its location and neighbouring components in the larger visual fabric of an area. By using locally sourced materials i.e. using limestone bricks in areas abundant in sedimentary rocks such as the Yorkshire Dales, the developer is able to reduce the mileage their materials have to travel, contribute to the local economy and create a cohesive architectural style unique to that geographic area. Prior to the interconnected world, we live in now, the concept of using local materials for local projects was the only option. Ever since the world has experienced a level of inter connectivity and standardised practices we have seen mass produced projects enter the picture. Now, granted these projects do have a necessary function – primarily providing housing – but the construction sector is consistently neglecting regional characteristics and styles for a nationwide set of bland, inefficient developments.
An area that I have noticed experience a large boom in popularity amongst architects and planners is incorporating green spaces in and amongst their buildings. The concept of solutions such as vertical farming and gardens is not a novel one though. The legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon were said to have gardens and foliage wrapping around the pyramidal structure while in the 20th century vertical farming saw increased popularity. Two projects that highlight not only the environmental benefits but also the aesthetic beauty of buildings that use nature as a pivotal component in their façade are the Bosco Verticale in Milan and the Kö-Bogen II building in Dusseldorf.
The Bosco Verticale are a pair of towers in Milan, designed by Italian architects Boeri Studio and completed in 2014. The towers are pretty standard rectangular blocks, like most residential tower blocks, but what sets the Bosco Verticale apart from anything else is its striking green façade. The name Bosco Verticale translates to ‘Vertical Forest’ and is aptly named as each of the two towers houses around 900 trees, 5000 shrubs and 11,000 perennial plants. The vast array of foliage present on the exterior of the towers not only looks aesthetically striking but it also helps in absorbing excess CO2 and releasing O2 via the biological process of photosynthesis. This form of architecture makes use of previously disregarded space and in an interview with The Verge [2], Boeri said “I really hope many other architects, many other urban planners, many politicians will be in condition to replicate and improve what we have done.” I hope that more architectural firms and developers continue down this avenue and in the future don’t be surprised to see more of this topographical symbiosis in the environmental-architectural relationship.
The Kö-Bogen II office building in Dusseldorf was designed by German architects Ingenhoven Architects and was completed in 2020. Over 30,000 plants and 5 miles of hornbeam hedging cover the façade of the building, extending the greenery of the neighbouring Hofgarten park into the Gustaf – Gründgens – Platz. Architect Christoph Ingenhoven saw an opportunity to regenerate the open concrete space that provided little benefit to the city and with Kö-Bogen II, his firm have successfully revitalised the area. The design is nothing radical, irregular pyramidal structures with wrap around features have become popular in the last decade – particularly in Scandinavian countries – but by cladding the exterior in hedgerows Ingenhoven architects were able to bridge the gap between nature and people. In an interview with Dezeen [3], Christoph Ingenhoven said the “composition of the green facade is inspired by Land art and enables Kö-Bogen II to oscillate in a deliberate indeterminacy between city and park – to enter into a dialogue with the Hofgarten.”
In the continual reparations to mitigate further environmental damage, innovative solutions are needed to rebalance the scales in the hope of preserving our natural surroundings. The Torre de Especialidades – a public hospital – in Mexico City is a project that uses special tiles on its 100m façade to clean the air of the heavily polluted megacity. The tiles that line the hospital are coated in titanium dioxide which when activated by sunlight acts as a chemical catalyst for reactions such as converting mono-nitrogen oxides responsible for smog into healthier substances like calcium nitrate and water. Due to their nature as a catalyst, the titanium dioxide doesn’t get used up and so can carry on its conversion process indefinitely.
While the singular projects listed don’t change the entire citywide pollution and environmental problems, they certainly help in increasing public awareness and inspiring other developers and citizens to take similar routes in their construction endeavours. The solution to the problem has to be a multi-faceted one and from consumers to developers we have a responsibility to ensure there is still a healthy atmosphere for habitation in our sprawling urban wonders. Architecture and nature existing independently is an outlived notion and so begins the rise of the urban arcadia.
[1] https://www.leti.london/cedg
[2] https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/9/16112758/milan-vertical-forest-stefano-boeri-video
[3] https://www.dezeen.com/2020/05/04/ingenhoven-architects-dusseldorf-ko-bogen-ii-office-hedges/