What is the role of architecture – and the architect – in the Anthropocene?
It’s an immutable fact: human activity is driving the climate and biodiversity crises that now threaten all life. The damage we inflict on the planet undermines basic human rights, displaces millions, and intensifies structural racism, sexism and segregation, with the greatest burden falling on the most vulnerable people and ecosystems.
Architects must act.
The design and construction of most buildings and urban environments today are rooted in an economic model that pursues infinite growth. Our profession is embedded in a paradigm that favours individual gain over collective benefit. We are rewarded for overlooking the interdependence between people and the natural world. Architecture contributes directly to environmental degradation and social injustice.
Architects agree that the profession must change. But we lack the tools and knowledge to undertake the transformations that are urgently needed. This book aims to address that need through 15 chapters illustrating how we can act collectively to make a difference.
Architectural Thinking in a Climate Emergency
brings together writers, researchers, educators, students and practitioners working at the forefront of this transformation. Contributors come from fourteen countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and Oceania. Many are leading voices in their fields; others are emerging thinkers introducing fresh perspectives from both academia and practice.
Above all, they each affirm the architect’s responsibility to help transition toward carbon-neutral, sustainable practices that advance social and environmental justice.
Table of Contents
1. Setting the scene: architectural thinking in a time of climate emergency
James Benedict Brown and Sofie Pelsmakers
PART 1: Architectural philosophies to address the climate emergency: injustice, circularity, radical inclusivity, spatial insurgence
2. Architects and climate justice
Jonathon Taylor, Salla Jokela, Markus Laine and Lauren Ferguson
3. The new aesthetics of circular architecture
Antti Lehto and Sanna Lehtinen
4. Who do we create architecture for, and why?
Mirjami Myllymäki, Sofie Pelsmakers and Laura Uimonen
5. Enacted utopias: learning from insurgent spatial practices
Dalia Milián Bernal, Mikko Kyrönviita, Elina Alatalo and Veera Turku
PART 2: Architectural pedagogies to address the climate emergency: creaturely pedagogy, collaboration and communities of equity, empathy and interdisciplinarity
6. Everyday, equity and ease
Felicity Atekpe
7. Responding to embodied injustices: introducing critical thinking and empathy in architectural education
Essi Nisonen, Jenni Poutanen and Sofie Pelsmakers
8. Changing cultures: sustainability in architectural education and design teaching
David Kroll, Susan Galavan and Veronica Soebarto
9. Preparing architects to serve as change agents
Jan Hugo, Anika van Aswegen, Carin Combrinck, Dayle Shand and Chrisna du Plessis
10. Changing paradigms: educating for the climate emergency
Elizabeth Donovan
PART 3: Architectural practices to address the climate emergency: justice, interdisciplinarity, co-design, decolonisation
11. Planning for climate justice: digital mapping as an interdisciplinary tool for alleviating inequalities
Cara Mulholland, Jenny Hughes and Flora Samuel
12. Decolonising resilient architecture
Pieta McAleer-Harding, Mercia Abbott, Rebecca Kiddle and Maibritt Pedersen Zari
13. Situating the concept of sustainable design in Africa
Ng’eno Chelang’at Faith
14. Boundaries and bonds in a boundless world: the relationship of place and community to landscape
Maria Vidali
15. An architecture of paying attention: scenarios for rehearsing climate futures otherwise
Renata Tyszczuk
Editor(s)
Biography
Sofie Pelsmakers (she/her) is Professor of Sustainable Housing Design at Tampere University, Finland. She is a chartered architect (UK), author of several books and has dedicated the past two decades to teaching, designing and researching sustainable architecture. She brings experience from Denmark (the Aarhus School of Architecture) and the UK (Sheffield School of Architecture, The Bartlett, University of East London). Her collaborative work connects research, teaching and practice for the training of the architects of the future.
James Benedict Brown is an Associate Professor of Architecture at Umea University in Sweden. He teaches architectural history and theory and researches the relationship between architectural education, practice, values and materials.
