Critical Regionalism and Sustainability

 "The fundamental strategy of Critical Regionalism is to mediate the impact of universal civilization with elements derived indirectly from the peculiarities of a particular place."

I would argue that today this statement, 40 years after Towards a Critical Regionalism was published, takes on second meaning. Climate change is an impact of universal civilization that is linked to critical regionalism in ways that Kenneth Frampton foreshadowed in Towards a Critical Regionalism. His fifth point, Culture Versus Nature: Topography, Context, Climate, Light and Tectonic Form dances around the topic of passive systems which inherently are of place. While Frampton makes references to architectural elements that relate to climate, such as the window, he does with the focus of culture. 

"The generic window is obviously the most delicate point at which these two natural forces impinge upon the outer membrane of the building, fenestration having an innate capacity to inscribe architecture with the character of a region and hence to express the place in which the work is situated"

This is still relevant today, even more so, but there is the additional layer of sustainability to reinforce this point. When passive systems are implemented the design is a direct reflection of the wind, sun, temperature, and humidity that are unique to a place. The passive systems that best manipulate these elements are usually pre-existing within that local vernacular - from a time before air conditioning and artificial lighting. One example of this from my groups studio project is examining the Charleston single house. Our project does not directly replicate a single house or partake in nostalgia, but instead learns from how the single house manipulated wind and light for natural ventilation, temperature control, and daylighting.