Is the architectural profession facing a revolution in its practices? The views of three experts.
‘Rurban Habitat’ is one of the winning projects in the Architecture Student Contest 2024, for which the experts interviewed in this article were members of the jury. It bears witness to the evolution of current architectural practices by giving pride of place to the circular, and aiming for optimum integration with the existing environment. Rurban Habitat: Aleksandra Tądel and Magdalena Strauchmann from Politechnika Wrocławska (Poland).
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Architects are facing a paradigm shift: environmental issues now have to be given the same priority as economic or societal equations in building or renovation projects. Evolution or revolution?
For the 2024 edition of the Architecture Student Contest, an international jury was responsible for selecting the winners from over a thousand students from universities all over the world who submitted innovative projects in sustainable construction. We decided to bring together three of the members of this jury to share their inspiring vision of architecture as it embraces sustainability.
CEO of Polish Green Building Council and Chair of Europe Regional Network at World Green Building Council.
“The new generation of architects will have totally different tasks than the previous ones.”
As the CEO of Polish Green Building Council, Alicja promotes the business case of green building and is especially interested in two areas: circular buildings and how buildings influence health, wellbeing and productivity of their occupants. Author of numerous reports and publications on green building and speaker at various conferences and events organised in Poland and abroad.
Vice-President Architects Council of Europe
“It’s very interesting to see how many people have understood that architecture can make a big difference in the transition.”
Carl Bäckstrand is Vice-President, Architects Council of Europe (ACE). He’s also an architect and deputy CEO of White Arkitekter (Sweden) and has worked for many years on the issue of sustainability and climate change. He is a fervent advocate of improving architectural quality.
Head of the Architectural Creation Department at Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine (France)
“In the 20th century, the new revolution was by technique. Now, it’s more than that.”
Francis Rambert is a journalist and architecture critic. A former director of the French Institute of Architecture, he now heads the Department of Architectural Creation at the Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine in Paris (France). For over thirty years, he has been analysing the production of architecture as well as disseminating the culture of architecture and the city through publications, exhibitions, debates and conferences. On three occasions, he has been a member of the international jury for the Mies Van der Rohe Award, which aims to highlight excellence in European architecture.
Also read:
- “Innovation has a crucial role to play in sustainable construction”, by Marta Sękulska-Wrońska (Poland)
- “How can we build a sustainable future”, by Sally Uren, Chief Executive of the non-profit organization Forum for the Future, and Lena Hök, Executive Vice President of the Swedish construction giant Skanska Group.
- Sustainable construction barometer: industry trends revealed
To find out more, take a look at our serie “Architects’ perspectives on sustainable construction” :
- “AI can be an incredibly powerful tool.”
- “Innovation has a crucial role to play in sustainable construction”
- “We don’t pull down unless it’s absolutely necessary”
- Architects’ perspectives: “Adaptability is our most urgent task.”
- Architects’ perspectives: “Architects in Chile have been engaged in a slow revolution for over twenty years.”
- Benedetta Tagliabue : “Outside space is also home”
- Energy: “In Japan, the spread of well-insulated windows is the most important development of the last ten years.”
- Should architecture undergo a revolution? The winners of the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture™ share their views
