Responsible for 40% of carbon emissions and for the soon unsustainable depletion of the Earth’s materials, the human activity of construction can be defined as both an additive and a subtractive force. Carbon quantification measures this twofold impact, making visible the footprint of the construction industry, hitherto ignored by our spatial transformation disciplines in both education and practice. If architectural production (which accounts for only part of the total volume of construction) can also be seen as an encounter between the organic and the inorganic, one may ask whether it could be understood as a regulator of interdependencies within the biosphere rather than as a representation of depletion. At a time of sweeping change in our choice of materials, of the search for high-performance construction processes and of the transformation of our ways of life, carbon emission calculations are becoming powerful tools for construction and architecture. From the efficient use of our materials to the crafting of a new language of coexistence, carbon quantification emerges as one of the methodologies to follow in the face of today’s climate challenges.
Speakers:
- The (in)visible traces of the landscape
From suburban housing to matter
Gaspard BASNIER
Architect DE, graduate of ENSA Versailles, Co-founder of Collectif (in)visible
Lawan-Kila TOE
Architect DE, graduate of ENSA Versailles, Co-founder of Collectif (in)visible
Léo DIEHL-CARBONI
Architect DE, graduate of ENSA Versailles, Co-founder of Collectif (in)visible
Architecture can be defined as both an additive force – building, developing, structuring – and a subtractive force – excavating, demolishing, consuming. From this perspective, our choice of building materials and the way we use them must be fundamentally called into question. The proliferation of suburban detached housing on the outskirts of cities is a particularly telling example in this respect. Re-engaging with local materials goes beyond thermal calculations and environmental regulations: it is also about seeking out and crafting a language and new spatial qualities. Components and assemblies – frames, walls, pillars, roofs, cladding, foundations – can become powerful architectural tools, giving rise to a vision of coexistence between landscape, climate and living space. Alternative housing concepts thus establish a contemporary territorial narrative founded on a sensitive use of materials and simple construction methods.
- Comparative analysis of the life-cycle assessments of different timber and concrete structures for a mid-rise residential building
Christian von DÜRING
architect EPFL SIA
Discussant:
- Philippe RIZZOTTI
architect, Philippe Rizzotti Architecte practice, Paris
Senior Lecturer at ENSAP Lille
Registration:
