Can Architecture be Entirely Adaptable?
It seems in a typical building project we treat the building
as if it will last forever, but the one thing we know for sure is that it won’t.
Often a good chunk of an architect's work is adapting an existing structure to
fill a new need, and often these building being renovated were not built in a
way that makes adaptability easy.
What if we designed buildings in way to maximize re-use and adaptability? With modular materials and impermanent connections that can easily be taken down when it has exceeded its useful life. If the project can be adapted for the new use, great, if not it can be dismantled, and the materials used on a different project. The US generated a staggering 600 million tons of construction related waste in 2018 and it's estimated to reach 2.2 billion tons globally in 2025. Overall, 23% of the waste we produce in the US is from Construction and Development, imagine the impact we could have?
Jared, these are great thoughts. Buildings made with the intention to be changed or expanded upon would be incredibly impactful in the realm of sustainability and would certainly make architects' jobs easier when it comes to adaptive reuse.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of adaptability is really important and the construction industry indeed has a huge contribution in creating waste. I think if all or most of the architects start thinking in this avenue, we can definitely bring a positive change.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree and love the direction of this conversation. At the end of the day nothing on this earth is subject to be permanent, but we can always help by thinking long term impact with our designs, reusing as much resources as possible, etc. It is very sad that construction an development has been the leading cause for waste produce but we can help with this process! Taking into consideration this weeks discussion on informal space I think the stance you are taking Jared is that neither user or architect should be in charge of painting the canvas but the land in which it is being placed. We should look to how we can insure the building and lands longevity on the earth.
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