Spectacular Sustainability

"Architects have been aware of the issues for some time, of course, but the proportion of those committed to sustainable and ecological practices has remained small. And until recently, much of the work produced as sustainable architecture has been of poor quality. Early examples were focused mainly around the capacities of simple technologies to produce energy and recycle waste. Sustainable architecture, itself rudimentary, often also meant an alternative lifestyle of renunciation, stripped of much pleasure." - M. Mostafavi

 Professor Franco made an interesting argument this week that called for spectacular sustainable design, instead of the humble, vernacular design my peers and I tend to prefer. Having observed and participated in the criticism of star-chitects as well as the excessive work produced before the 2008 recession, I think our generation is experiencing a distrust of spectacular architecture. We prefer an aesthetic of austerity, as Jeremy Till has communicated, which is quiet and does not draw too much attention to itself. However, as Professor Franco made me realize, there has rarely been a significant change or revolution that took hold thanks to its quiet demeanor. Whether we like it or not, we are a consumer based society who purchase new things based largely on their "wow" factor. We want to keep our current lifestyles, but at the same time get even more than we imagined. One of the most debilitating misconceptions about sustainability we have in this country is the idea that we must give something up to be sustainable. Many Americans, for better or worse, take pride from being able to do whatever they want, however they want, whenever they want. Perhaps the only way to sell sustainability to the mainstream is by giving them what they already have AND MORE, but in a sustainable package.

An excellent example that comes to mind is the recent rise of Tesla Motors. Tesla vehicles surpass any other vehicle on the market, gas or electric. Recently, Consumer Reports gave a Tesla vehicle its highest marks ever. Although they eventually reprimanded Tesla for its questionable reliability, the company has proven that a sustainable vehicle can surpass the status quo across all vehicle types.

Surely architecture can do the same?