Design and the Environment

Environmentally conscious design is one of the areas which has interested me the most thus far in this class, and is an aspect of design that has been growing in significance over the past several decades. Because designers has such profound influence on how the world we live in is affected by their products, it is really the duty of designers to create products/buildings that reflect this responsibility. Huge strides have been made over the past twenty years to improve in the field, as we've been reading about in Cradle to Cradle, and will only continue to get better and better in the future. The following links all relate to the topic of design and the environment, and the different ways that it is being manifested currently in the world.

Industrial Renovation:

This article describes the renovation of old, out of use gasometers in Vienna into apartments and shops. I found it applicable to the topic because it is taking buildings from the Industrial revolution, a time particularly environmentally unfriendly, and reusing them in an innovative way. They architects that redesigned the structures created quite beautiful living areas in buildings that were originally designed for a completely different purpose. 

Roadless Village:

This village in Holland was designed completely without roads, and instead utilizes waterways between the houses for resident transportation. Citizens can boat around the community, eliminating the need for cars which produce environmentally harmful emissions. It also makes the town immensely beautiful, a reason why the article caught my eye. Although not practical for all parts of the world, this example of an automobile-less community was inspiring, and made me think of a Tolkienesque hobbit village.

All Natural Swimming Pool:

This swimming pool which looks more like a natural pond is a design which is becoming more and more popular throughout Europe and the United States. Instead of a traditional outdoor swimming pool which uses chlorine and other chemicals to clean the water, this "self cleansing mini environment"relies on vegetation and pumps to help clean the water. It is a beautiful example of nature and design coming together to produce an environmentally conscious creation.

Green Homes:

Green buildings are perhaps on of the largest ways in which environmental design is being taken into consideration. Examples such as that in the linked video show how designers and architects are creating structures which utilize the environment instead of harming it. Innovations like solar panels, recycled building materials, and super efficient home systems are helping to lead the way in green design and architecture. 

Ferrari:

Environmentally friendly car design is another area where designers are focusing huge amounts of energy. Obviously, hybrid cars help to reduce harmful emissions, and examples such as those at companies like Ferrari show how serious this field is, and how quickly it is growing. When automobiles traditionally built for performance and style are looking at ways to go green and be environmentally conscious, one knows that its an important aspect of remaining a competitive company. Because consumers are now concerned about a company's willingness to provide products which will not harm the environment, strides are being made in nearly all areas of design.