Fairy Tales

When it comes to discussing sustainability it seems there are many different views on what it actually is, not only between disciplines, but within the field of architecture. I was first introduced to sustainability many years ago, and it, more or less, just focused on the building: performance, materials, and technology. Now, I understand sustainability in a broader scope: social, economic, and environmental. This is what the likes of Branzi and Mostafavi address when exploring ecological urbanism. The thoughts they share manage to bring a holistic perspective to the topic and how ecological urbanism impacts our everyday lives, now and future.

Sustainability is tricky considering the dynamics of society are quickly moving toward more urban and denser landscapes. With that, the idea of sustainability must evolve too, but it seems when it comes to ecological urbanism, that “it is always too early, or too late to talk about cities of the future.” (Bhabha) If we take a look at New York, a city that is stuck in a position where it can only negotiate within its existing framework, developing a more sustainable environment becomes a bureaucratic and expense process. So what would it look like if we had a chance to start over? To build a city that is conscious of the welfare of its citizens, and prepares for the longevity of the city and the planet as a whole. Places where nature and urban life collide, bringing agriculture and the rural out of the periphery and using them as the context it which we situate our future cities. But then again, these all just fairy tales...for now.