From Modernism to Ecology

French Exchange student putting the finishing touches on a thatch roof.  Thatch roofs can last up to 100 years or more in cold climates.  This roof is made of palm leaves in Yucutan, Mexico.

   I have been reading about Modernism, and minimalism lately. It has become clear how fascinating a time it must have been mid-century to witness a change in the world around us.  From overindulgent flourish borrowed from cultures on the other side of the world, to a conscious, pared down aesthetic.  By removing "copy and paste" visual ornament that the Victorian era had become associated with, designers were now able to focus on what they were meant to do in the first place: create thoughtful, comfortable spaces that protect users from the elements. 

Describing this to my partner yesterday, we got into a debate about whether green design could perform a similar evolution in design.  My partner suggested that it is difficult because green design does not have a recognizable look like the International style, so it struggles under a myriad of attempts to express itself, some of it actually green and some of it green-washing. 

There are a few ways to categorize green or sustainable design:

1) Large Budget, Large Scale, Government Funded and Cultural Buildings: buildings that choose or forced to be constructed with a choice of sustainable features such as low flow plumbing fixtures, extra daylight, local materials, reduced energy use, etc.  This is an area that the LEED from the USGBC and CaGBC have make their greatest impact; slowly shifting the dialogue and availability of materials to a greener level.  Often decisions are technology and cost based.

2) Net-zero Homes: means the amount of energy used by a homes is balanced by the energy created onsite, such as through solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal energy.  Very technologically based, and often expensive.  With my local jurisdiction's energy producers allowing customers to sell energy back the grid, this may become more common.

3) Passivhaus (light and tight):  Emerging from Germany, this energy accounting system has been slowly showing up in other parts of the world as engineer/architects are adopting this strategy known for using copious insulation, air-tight construction details, reduced thermal bridging, and almost precluding any need for supplementary heat.  Proponents claim that the methodology is appropriate around the globe, no matter the climate. Because of it's overarching dependence on numerical goals, aesthetics rarely factor in to designs, and is better suited to boxy homes, and even better to multi-tenant dwellings.  The energy rating system is still new, but expect to spend at least 10% more on the home.  

4) Passive Solar: Typically thought of as sustainable architecture from the 1970's.  The R-2000 home, and other wooden geometrical structures whose solar glazing was oriented towards the south.  Very experimental, building as pure science.  This experimentation was necessary during the oil embargo at the time and was focused on reducing energy use.  The founder of Jersey Devil Design Build laments the use of the word Passive, as it does not inspire the macho of the building industry.  

5) Earthship (glass and mass): A subset of Passive solar.  This branded style of green building uses salvaged, local and new materials to assemble a comprehensive living system with earth berms, water collecting cisterns, passive ventilation.  A greenhause typically runs the southern span of the house.  Due to it's extremely labour-dependent construction, it doesn't quite work in a technology driven industrial-capitalist system.   Originally made on cheap under-utilized land in New Mexico where the EarthShip Academy still teaches students, it has been showing up in cooler climates like C

6) Natural Building: uses natural materials for structure and infill.  It utilizes technology only where necessary, such as to protect it from the elements, or to provide electricity with solar or wind power. Typically more appropriate in a rural setting where there is easier access to clay, sand, straw, roundwood etc. Categories of natural building are typically strawbale, cob, earthbermed, adobe, light straw clay, hempcrete, etc.  These structures are often made in work bee's with a lot of friendly, but unskilled labour.  Done well, they are usually the same price as a typical home built to minimum code. 

Some designers have managed to get these buildings constructed in cities, disguised under a clean layer of plaster.    Rammed earth is a good example of a clean linear version of this style appropriate for an urban setting.

7) Tiny Homes and Temporary Structures (less is more):  Small, attractive homes often built on wheels to avoid requiring a building permit these structures are sustainable because they use less material, and are easier to condition.  Other temporary structures like yurts or geodesic domes are also efficient with material and conditioned space. 

8) Vernacular, Local, Critical Regionalism: spans centuries. Before the advent of fuel, the style and material palette of your building was based on the material available directly around you.  Alvar Aalto was a Finnish Architect who tried to reanalyze this matter and entitled it "Critical Regionalism."

9) Ecological Design: In some ways it is the most philosophical way of design.   Rarely actually built, it is a theory based design that considers humans and nature in an ideal balance.  It is often responsive or remediating to its surroundings.  

We have to acknowledge that any building project is a series of compromises.  It is impossible to make something truly sustainable, but honest green design will always come from an analysis of the context in which it exists.  Something that works in a hot and dry climate will look completely different from something built in the tundra.  Find me on facebook, twitter, instagram or pintrest as I continue to explore what it means to be an ecological designer.

Homeowner hard at work, in bare feet, attaching branches from the surrounding jungle to hold the thatch roof onto the rafters.  

Another Passivhaus tour!

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Passivhaus is an up and coming, German design methodology that creates “light and tight” buildings.  The precepts are not new, but for the first time they are combined together to form a rigorous accounting system to acquire comparable data for the design.  The goal is to substantially reduce heat loss through the envelope with extreme detailing, reduction of thermal bridges and air infiltration, and much higher r-values than the current national building code requires.

At first glance, Passivhaus might seem not very interesting, but as I slowly become more exposed to it, I am becoming convinced this might be the only way we should be building.  Our houses lose so much heat through so many openings and lack of insulation, we are using a lot of fuel that we don’t need to.

Last month, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a Passivhaus construction site near Gimli, MB.  This is the first Passivhaus to be built in the province.  It is from the architecture Firm Bridgman Collaborative Architecture, and the design itself is largely spearheaded by an intern, Ian Sunabaka.  Ian, who not only has degrees in architecture, but also woodworking and philosophy, has brought a knowledgeable and introspective approach to the design.  Beautifully situated, this little house feels spacious and comfortable.  Its simple rectangular design is nestled at the edge of a large meadow that will no doubt prove to be a source of great views.

If you know what you are looking for, you can make out the trusses used as wall structure that will hold copious amounts cellulose insulation, as well as the roof.  A big warm space, scientifically calibrated to provide optimum comfort.  Needing barely any heat to keep warm.

Sounds good.

The Structure of an Urban Garden

The community garden on Broadway has gone through many hands.  The first time I visited was ten years ago, where the Landless Farmers were removing sod to cultivate a food garden for their CSA (community shared agriculture).  Months went by and another visit found me sitting with Erica, who was part of a seed saving group using the space to encourage plants through their full cycle, and create seeds for collection and analysis.

My latest visit was a two-hour conversation with Audrey Logan.  Listening to Audrey speak about her work with plants is like a story stitched together with history, current events, personal experience and goals for the future.  There is something about the way she weaves storytelling with facts that allows her knowledge to sink deep in the subconscious and become part of you. 

I am unsure how the land works, but it seems there is an element of cooperation allowing the beds to slowly shift and adapt to the sun paths, the changing seasons, and the quantity of help.  We made a to-do list, as well as a list of items that would come in really handy amongst the hand painted signs and slowly sprouting garden. 

Audrey is a strong supporter of effortless gardening, such as in-situ soil cultivation to encourage earthworms, and planting most seeds in the fall.  The seeds lay dormant for the season and start sprouting when the soil conditions are favourable.  This allows the roots to find local water sources and nutrients, making for a robust and hardy crop.

She offered me a small bouquet of daisies as I parted, something to enjoy in my house.  The mere act of pruning flowers gives space for more to grow,  participation breeds abundance.  

 

Hipsters in the Forest

Today, Momentary Vitality led a tour based on the taxonomy of the Assiniboine River's riparian vegetation.  More than sixty people came to learn about plants we frequently pass by, yet never really know much about.  The common joke was to question: "is it edible?"  The answer to which was only occasionally yes.  But whether it is useful for medicinal purposes, scrubbing pots, or insulation, these plants have great meaning to us.

Floating Houses

The floating houses of fisherman's wharf in Victoria, are quite the rare experience to behold.  These unexpected curiosities leave one marveling at a different, water-based, way of life.  Each home is completely unique and tells a story about it's owners.  Whether it is the bicycles hanging outside, carpentry details or a series of potted plants, there is so much to see. 

And remember to buy some fish and feed the seals.  

Update:  my partner also insists that this is about resilient architecture.  I suppose it is true, these adaptations could function well throughout flood-prone areas.  I will have to look more into how these are constructed.

Resources in Their Natural State: The Mantario Trail

Working our way along the Mantario trail you enter a different state.  The grueling pace of the tree, mud and stone strewn trail return your focus to the essentials... water, the body, the breath.  The world slows down to the pace of each step, and you are doing this in a space with a heady evergreen scent.

Along the trail are the elements, stone, wood, water.  In their natural state they rest in various shapes, lengths and sizes.  But yet, all these items are also resources.  In other spaces, we extract these substances and convert them into building products.  The pink granite that seems to flow over and under the light dusting of soil, as it does in the Canadian Shield, is frequently quarried into perfectly flat, shiny surfaces for flooring and kitchen counters.   The trees become endless items such as 2x4's, plywood and paper.

We sleep under the stars, immersed by the sounds of frogs and loons.  And perhaps know, in this state, these materials are home to so much more. 

Wild Urbanism

How does one start to imagine new spaces?  What direction do you take?  What formats do you use?  How do you share many people's ideas?  

We all have visions, but until we start documenting our dreams, we won't have a framework to pursue.  My back ground is in architecture.  The idea is that we design a building and make a variety of images to convey our ideas.  This becomes the flagship for garnering funding, exciting clients, community members, stakeholders.  

This image was completed organically.  The act of chasing the vision inevitably changes it, improves  and evolves it.  It becomes better as other people's concepts are layered on.  

What would you add to this image?