Environmental Morality

Where does environmental morality come from? 

The idea that there is an attitude of correctness toward the natural environment with all of its systems and variables (ourselves included) underlies the motivation for sustainability through environmental design. The two most commonly referred to wellsprings  of environmental morality, that I've come across, are biophilia, the innate affinity for life and all things living, and an inherent drive for self/species-preservation. Given the state of our environment, both built and natural, it seems these presumed innate predispositions for environmental morality have given way to convenience. Yet, there is a certain irony in convenience as it seems the more choice we have in the realm of fine-grained materiality, the more impoverishment of choice we have concerning the larger systems that sustain convenience and the interactions these systems have with the natural systems that sustain our health and even our spirituality.

Environmental Morality vs the Established Methodology of  Survival

So it seems our supposed predisposition for environmental morality is not enough. Some might blame ignorance of the impacts of our consumer choices and actions, but can education on these issues create an emotional attachment of sufficient strength to generate a renewed sense of responsibility toward the environment? Do the aesthetics of the environments we occupy impact our predisposition for or lack of  environmental morality?Or has society become so hooked on convenience that the only way forward is through further convenience? Make environmental morality convenient to act upon....but then it cycles back to education and emotional attachment, there must be an awareness and a passion to generate a demand, and there must be a demand to generate services. This is why it is necessary to understand where environmental morality comes from, to generate greater demand for services that facilitate and perpetuate in increasing sense of responsibility for the impact of our actions on the greater systems that sustain us and enrich our existence.

Architectural Organism

It is obvious that most everything we do, architectural or otherwise, is a reflection of our attitudes toward nature. Often, I think, most of us do not consider consciously that our actions and choices are reflective of this attitude. Nor do we consider that we are, in reality, inseparable from nature. We are nature, though we strive to individuate ourselves from it, control it, surpass it, ignore it. Why is this an issue, what is wrong with it, am I suggesting we return to nature, subject ourselves to thermal discomfort, put aside our gadgets and our entertainments and commune with the trees and the critters? No. I am asking if there is a way to structure urban living that facilitates a less abusive relationship with nature, perhaps even a healthy one.

How do we do this? To start with, I think, we need to consider that architecture is an organism. A breathing, metabolizing, evolving organism. Also, being created by man, an imperfect organism. In addition, this organism is inclusive of the entire built environment, not just buildings, but landscapes, streetscapes, infrastructure. In an ideal world, all elements of the architectural organism and the relationship between these elements would be healthy and mutually supportive. If this is true, then we must identify a way for the disparate disciplines of environmental design to move forward that operates in constant consideration of one another.  And perhaps more importantly, we must consider what direction new design evolutions will take in light of a more illuminated relationship between the disciplines.

The crux of the situation: we are constantly designing new buildings, landscapes, and streetscapes as appendages to the existing organism. An organism that we know to be unhealthy. An organism that perpetuates a delusional urban dystopia. What about sustainable design? Sustainable buildings and sustainable landscapes? Sustainable appendages. Well, we must do things incrementally, but if there no overarching vision that addresses a total transformation of the health of  the organism then all these sustainable appendages may prove to be of little value in the long haul.

'Natural Architecture' Installation Art

There are some beautiful images of  'Natural Architecture', what I would call organic installation art, with the article/book review of Natural Architecture by Alessandro Roca on the designboom site,  http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/naturalarchitecture.html . I have yet to read the book, but the article on designboom suggests that the intent of these 'natural architecture' pieces is to facilitate a transition toward a harmonious relationship between nature and man, and to explore the concept of  'designing with nature in mind'. The images of the pieces are evocative and definitely provoke a sense of wonder, but I find myself asking just how this feeling of wonder and appreciation for the natural beauty of these constructions translates into the reality of creating a more harmonious relationship between nature and man. Will the experience of these pieces actually facilitate the major attitude shift necessary to change the lifestyle choices of the average urban dweller, to help them to see the error of their ways so to speak? Call me a cynic, but I doubt it. 

The article also states that these pieces are intended as a type of architectural commentary meant to invoke new ways of thinking about building and structure.In this purpose, I think the pieces are more successful. In particular, they highlight the transitory nature of building that most of us tend not to think about to much. The natural erosion and decay that is allowed to overtake the organic materials of these structures could be thought of as architectural time on fast forward. How many buildings have fallen to decay or demolition when they are no longer deemed useful or relevant? While the poignancy of this commentary is not lost, I wonder how it can be translated practically into the decision making process of architectural design.

    Cover Image for Natural Architecture by Alessandro Rocca 2007                                                                                                 

Images from the book:

 'weidendome' Sanfte Strukturen 2001 

                           'fog pad' n architects 2004