The AJ asked Duncan Baker-Brown for advice on this week’s journal. Duncan, who has been advocating for and designing with sustainable design principles for the last 25 years, was happy to suggest case studies and topics for the AJ.
Themes drawn out by Baker-Brown both in this issue of the AJ and in his work in practice include placing more value on materials through the use of material passports and designing building as material banks for the future, and designing buildings for delicate deconstruction rather than demolition.
Lendager Group’s Resource Rows in Copenhagen is one of the case studies featured in the journal, featuring repurposed materials in the facade. Another case study, Lacaton and Vassal’s refurbishment of three 1960s housing blocks in Bordeaux, follows the circular economy principles espoused by Duncan Baker-Brown. Instead of knocking the buildings down, the architects added winter gardens. These gardens reduced the energy use by 60% and opened the building up to light, air, and views.
Duncan strikes many positive notes in the journal, emphasising that architects are in a good position to effect environmental progress in the construction industry, because they oversee the design and detail of buildings.
Check out this week’s AJ here: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk
Above Image: Material Passports https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/material-passports-finding-value-in-rubble/10043989.article?blocktitle=in-the-LATEST-ISSUE&contentID=18097
