JANUARY 1999
Nature and culture are often regarded as mutually exclusive systems. In a cultural environment a tree is not regarded as 'real' nature, and in a natural environment a building is looked upon as an intruder. This leads to a familiar line of reasoning: our technology (and thus our architecture) is guilty of the disappearance of nature and the pollution of our environment. Everything we do as designers is suspicious. Only if we break through this systems thinking and stop separating nature from culture, can we develop new and exciting architecture.
IT CAN BE DONE THE PRAGMATIC WAY
Like this Japanese building, which uses trees for 'green' sunshading. In summer the leaves keep the sun out, in winter the leafless trees let just enough sunshine through to guarantee a comfortable indoor climate. The trees also give the building a special daylighting quality.
Shop, office, warehouse, Japan, 1982 architect: Osamu Ishii, Biken Architectural Design Office
IT CAN BE DONE THE ROMANTIC WAY
Like these French holiday houses by the architects Francois & Lewis. It is unclear where the landscape ends and where the houses begin. There is no boundary between the built and its surroundings. The houses will change their appearance with the seasons.
Holiday houses, Jupilles (Sarthe) 1995-1998 architects: Edouard Francois & Duncan Lewis
IT CAN BE DONE THE NATURAL WAY
The examples show how architecture incorporates nature in its designs. The opposite also happens. For instance the Australian bower bird. The male bird is like an architect. He builds pavillions to attract female birds. Before humans invaded his natural environment he used colourful shells and stones to adorn his constructions. But off late he discovered that plastics are much more colourful and easier to get by. He nowadays uses plastic spoons and other litter to attract female birds. Only when we play with the boundaries between the built and the unbuilt, between what we call nature and what we call culture, can we create better places to live in.
Bower bird
The Foundation for Smart Architecture actively seeks smart solutions in architecture and urban planning. You can follow the progress of this quest on the Foundation's own web site. Piet Vollaard / Jacques Vink