What We Don't See
If we don’t see the garbage, we don’t see what it says about
us.
This is the thought that came to mind while reading ‘Ecological
Urbanism’, by Mostafavi. This section talked about how there are so many things
today that we use frequently, but no longer understand. We throw things away
and (for the most part) they disappear with the trash truck soon after.
Logically we know it goes to a landfill, but how many people have gone there
and seen the impact? We see fountains every day, but where is the water coming
from and where does it go after a child sticks their hand in? Can’t the same
questions be applied to the materials we use in a project? Would architects
think harder about designing a building when they see how much from the construction
process doesn’t even end up in the building? Or if they were directly shown how
much fossil fuels it took to get that specific piece of marble they had to have
across the country?
Morgan, I really feel that if we all start thinking the way you are thinking, our construction industry will be much better and then we say, that we will leave the earth as a better place than we found it! There is a lot of waste which is not difficult not to generate by becoming aware of the impacts that our actions bring in the world as an architect! That sensitivity while selecting materials and designing our building forms is extremely important for our environment!
ReplyDeleteI think your take on waste is really important in thinking about sustainability in architecture. Many of us remain unaware of the consequences of our actions until they directly affect us. Your mention of architects considering the broader implications of their design choices is particularly thought-provoking. It raises important questions about sustainability and responsibility in all aspects of our lives. I think where we may be lacking right now is trying to determine how we can begin to be more conscious of this.
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