Architectural Thinking in a Climate Emergency

What is the role of architecture – and the architect – in the Anthropocene?

It’s an immutable fact: human activity is driving the climate and biodiversity crises that now threaten all life. The damage we inflict on the planet undermines basic human rights, displaces millions, and intensifies structural racism, sexism and segregation, with the greatest burden falling on the most vulnerable people and ecosystems.

Architects must act.

The design and construction of most buildings and urban environments today are rooted in an economic model that pursues infinite growth. Our profession is embedded in a paradigm that favours individual gain over collective benefit. We are rewarded for overlooking the interdependence between people and the natural world. Architecture contributes directly to environmental degradation and social injustice.

Architects agree that the profession must change. But we lack the tools and knowledge to undertake the transformations that are urgently needed. This book aims to address that need through 15 chapters illustrating how we can act collectively to make a difference.

Architectural Thinking in a Climate Emergency

brings together writers, researchers, educators, students and practitioners working at the forefront of this transformation. Contributors come from fourteen countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and Oceania. Many are leading voices in their fields; others are emerging thinkers introducing fresh perspectives from both academia and practice.

Above all, they each affirm the architect’s responsibility to help transition toward carbon-neutral, sustainable practices that advance social and environmental justice.

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Sofie Pelsmakers (she/her) is Professor of Sustainable Housing Design at Tampere University, Finland. She is a chartered architect (UK), author of several books and has dedicated the past two decades to teaching, designing and researching sustainable architecture. She brings experience from Denmark (the Aarhus School of Architecture) and the UK (Sheffield School of Architecture, The Bartlett, University of East London). Her collaborative work connects research, teaching and practice for the training of the architects of the future.

James Benedict Brown is an Associate Professor of Architecture at Umea University in Sweden. He teaches architectural history and theory and researches the relationship between architectural education, practice, values and materials.