ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

As a student of Architecture I've become rather interested in
Ecologically Sustainable Architecture. I'd be interested to discuss
why it is that in Australian residential development it is only
recently that ecological sustainability has become a mandatory
approach to designing. The impression I receive from this area of
Architecture is that total regard for the site and environment must
influence the design. The solutions used in maintaining this are
often seen to be aesthetically displeasing to many people. On the
other hand strong aesthetical designs tend to ignore ecological
problems. It would appear to me that taking the technical design based
approach to total ecological sustainability lacks strength in its
appearance. I disagree with this notion because to me the building
should enhance and echoe its immediate environment, not reject it.
Organic Architecture would appear to take this idea to the extremes,
so is this the solution we must adopt to bring humanity back to earth
literally, our natural place of birth. It is my opinion that the human
race has become weaker, physically and mentally as a result of
alienating ourselves from mother nature. SHANE WOOD.
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