Architectures of the Critical Zone: Architecture and Environment Integration en Route to Designing Environments

Abstract

Human transformations of environments and the associated negative environmental impact across spatial and temporal scales increase at an alarming rate. Land cover and land use change driven by rapid urbanization and construction are a fundamental part of this transformation. In this context, the question arises whether there is something inherently wrong with urbanization or construction or, instead, whether the underlying problem is the prevailing human-nature dichotomy that delimits current perspectives by determining the way cities and architectures are understood as something other than and in opposition with nature. In this chapter we pursue an alternative approach that repositions architectures and cities as effectively embedded parts of the Critical Zone, the life-supporting heterogeneous near-surface environment of planet Earth. This take necessitates a complex engagement with the systems and processes that characterize and sustain local environments. Two thematic trajectories are outlined in this chapter. The first trajectory concerns knowledge recovery and adaptation from traditional sustainable agricultural and horticultural land use. We term this approach ecological prototypes. The second trajectory concerns knowledge discovery through experimental design projects. We term this approach embedded architectures. Focus is placed on locally specific ecosystems and water, soil, and climate regimes, and conceptual aspects concerning ground, agency, experiences, practices, as well as change and uncertainty. This approach can begin to pave the way for a tangible architecture and environment integration.