I found a proposal for a building named Antilla located in Mumbai India, designed by Perkins & Will. Antilla is covered in foliage, and vertical and horizontal gardens. It is made up of living walls but what exactly does it look like? It looks like a stack of CD cases with some green covers. “Living walls are lovely but not a free ticket to environmental integrity.” (Web, 1) When I look at this building I see that it is green. Literally green is not the definition of “Green Design.” The materials used may have sustainable qualities, but is this not clearly a green trophy?
Definition of Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a Green Building Rating System. It is a standard for environmentally sustainable construction. During this past summer I interned at an architecture firm that did a mainly LEED Certified projects. I was there when they were in the midst of a specific project with the goal being LEED certified Gold. I was given the task of checking off the possible credits that could be earned on the LEED website. I had to click the box that said yes on a chart that had the list of all possible credits allowed on that project. There was Public transportation access and bicycle storage and carpooling and water use reduction, 20%, 30%, and building reuse and so on. (Web, 2) The top of the site had the possible merit that could be earned, based on what I was checking off. I felt like I was an accomplice for cheating. It was as though I was bypassing the thought process I usually expect when confronted with a problem. Then I realized, Money. That is how this process of making something green was being accomplished. Then right smack in the middle of my face was the reason. “Platinum Certified.”
Organizations with money are jumping on the Bandwagon of Green Design. Does this mean that in order to be successful, the contemporary understanding is that it has to be more than just a company; it has to be a green company?
Does the merit of having a Green certified design makes a successful design?
Sustainability is defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Does sustainability follow design or does design follow sustainability? I am writing about sustainability and its influence on design. Similar to the approach between functionalism and design. Now, more and more, it has become the responsibility as a designer to be sustainable. Though
Other factors that affect sustainable design- monetary impact, environmental impact,
Do you have to take one thing and not the other, do you compromise?
Do you compromise quality for quantity?
Does merit have a price? Yes. Does that still make it sustainable? Yes. Is it still designed well?
Does sustainability outweigh design?
If something is designed using the most sustainable resources but from a design stand point is ugly then is it really sustainable? People would inevitable not be attracted to using it and isn’t that wasted material, time, resources?
Greenwash? Where has this derived from? there are so many companies trying to jump on the green bandwagon
The question came up: creating a design that people love, or one that does no harm?
Is sustainability just on paper and not in the design? Is there a sustainable esthetic that could be better honed in design?
This discussion is not to be misinterpreted that badly designed green design should be rid of, but that being green just isn’t enough; especially if monetary and intellectual resources are available.
Web Cited
1- http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/10/25/sites-residence-antilia-green-tower-in-mumbai/#more-6649
2- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design#Point_rating
3- http://www.architectmagazine.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=1006&articleID=471526
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