Gardens and architecture go hand-in-hand. Whether the garden is outside or inside, there is a strong connection between the artificial and natural landscape. In particular, rooftop gardens are one of my most favorite architectural concepts.
A rooftop garden not only improves the psyche, but it also improves the environment. Rather than losing runoff water to the streets and sewers, the rainwater is captured within the soil on the roof.
Heat gain in an urban environment is also reduced by a rooftop garden because solar rays are absorbed rather than reflected. Even more, the roof's insulation factor is about as high as it can be with a rooftop garden, saving a great deal of mechanical heating and cooling energy and associated costs.
Basil, Switzerland by SAL
All of these green building savings and the rooftop garden is still gorgeous. Europeans have an intimate understanding of the flower and farmers markets that frequent many, if not all, of the city centers of each community throughout Europe. With a sophisticated and centuries-old understanding of how the garden fits into the city, it is no wonder that Europeans first developed the rooftop garden.
Michael Braungart; photo courtesy of Jonata Daniel
During an interview with the acclaimed German-born
chemist, Michael Braungart, we discussed many facets of green architecture. A
leader at the top of his field and at the top of research for green
architecture, Braungart made his philosophy clearly articulated. He said, “the
greenest thing anyone can do is to build architecture that lasts as long as
possible.” In effect, Braungart believes the greenest home is not one that has
the most sustainable bells & whistles, but one that will last for as long
as possible.
Making homes endurable includes many types of strategies.
First and foremost, the overall design, if done nicely and with meaning, can
satisfy generations of individuals and families. If one would notice, some of
the best-designed architecture is never be torn down. Think about Frank
Lloyd Wright’s homes or perhaps some homes in a historic district of your city
where the home values seem to defy gravity. It is likely that the homes built
in this area were designed with great care. Perhaps the city planning for this
particular area too was designed with care. As a result, it is the place where
everyone wishes to live.
Geothermal technology no longer consists of simply harvesting energy from the earth and underground water resources. The energy-efficient technology consists of a specialized furnace that circulates water through buried tubing to supplement the conventional source of either heat or coolness to achieve the optimum human comfort temperature.
WM.G.MurrayConferenceCenter, Living History Farms, Des Moines, Iowa.
Photo credit: Patsy K. Anderson.
I just completed a CEU course for registered architects related to Passive Solar Design for Design Arts Seminars.
I first saw this building as an elementary school student with my mom, brother, sister, and another mom & her kids. At a young age, I was interested in architecture... and this building was probably the first building to make me think! As a child, I thought it was ridiculous to bury a building or a home... afterall no one could really answer my questions.
In fact, I couldn't have answered any of my questions until I completed this CEU course this week. The biggest discovery I made was that Passive Solar Design is not so complicated and not so expensive... I found that many of the high confluent architecture books are attributed to making passive solar design ethereal and unattainable unless you become a scientiest or an engineer.
Not so, may I recommend Daniel D. Chiras' book, The Solar House: Passive Heating and Cooling? He provides a list of "do's" when designing passive solar homes... which easily translate to passive solar principles for commercial buildings as well.
Passive Solar Design is completely attainable and well worth all the effort... energy savings start out at a minimum of 30% and go all the way up to 80%.
As an architect, I am beginning this blog to inspire other designers to think in the most creative ways to be green.
Many years ago, homes were built with summer porches. So, in the evenings and for sleeping, the family would camp out on the second floor porch added to the rear end of the home. Besides the exotic aspect of this sleeping arrangement, it was one way to achieve a good night's sleep without sweating like a pig. The natural breezes of the summer night air were unobstructed and the family slept like content babies.
So, no air conditioning for the summer porch family.
