ARCHIVED ARC1003/ARC3308 - (Un)Nature: Home

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(UN)NATURE | ARC1003/ARC3308  | 2023 | Jack Cochran, Jessica Brown

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Traditionally, nature and culture have been seen by many as separate entities. As ideas of sustainability have gained prominence, a global discussion has begun on how to integrate healthy ecosystems and civilization, merging the needs of these two “separate” realms for the benefit of both. So far, the architecture that has resulted from this important initiative has left us wondering, is there more we can do than green roofs, solar shading, or increased efficiency of windows and walls?

This experimental, theory-based studio will examine what has emerged as sustainable design and problematize the terminology, goals and solutions we have come to take for granted. Terms like “Nature,” “wild,” “ecology,” “constructed,” and “untouched,” will be taken apart to deepen our understanding of their use and implications. The distinction between the two former realms may become blurred, and understood as “visible/invisible” or “controlled/uncontrolled”. “Subnatural” elements will also help us leave behind the polished and greenwashed sustainability of the past.

To test where this shift in paradigm can lead us in design, we will be recreating the new headquarters for General Electric in Fort Point. By merging together a landscape and architectural design, students will create an iconic space that will explore these new intersections and challenge what sustainable design can be at its core. - Brown/Cochran