Episode 10, recorded in Venice, was a summary of diversity. Before that, however, episodes 1 to 9 of season 3 were a careful unpacking of what this word means. Excerpts from these are featured here, including the views of four distinguished architects. We find out that they all seek to minimise, with varying degrees of success, the impact of external pressures, such as global supply chains.

In episode 6, for instance, Ambrish Arora, founder of Studio Lotus in Delhi, North India, focuses on the relationship of a project to nearby resources. Coincidentally, this local-first approach is also the mantra of many architects in the global south who leverage what is available.

Ambrish Arora integrates new structures with heritage buildings in the RAAS Jodhpur hotel in India with a purposeful exploration of Place.
© Studio Lotus

Another case in point, Benny Kuriakose, an architect based in Chennai, South India, adopts a similar position as Ambrish, albeit with a twist. In episode 4, he channels the vernacular, i.e. construction techniques and principles that date back centuries, which leads to his views on the rural setting, which, he says, has been neglected in the sustainability discourse.

Benny Kuriakose’s work relies on traditional skills and local materials. As a result, projects like the DakshinaChitra Museum in Chennai, cost less to build and operate.
© T.P Naseef, Benny Kuriakose & Associates

On the African continent, Nina Maritz — an architect in Namibia — undertakes projects that are often poorly funded and serve the very poor. In episode 7, she argues that the spirit of frugality must be in the driving seat. This helps the team comply with tight budgets and opens the door to creativity and innovation.

Emphasis on low-tech passive design reduces the operating cost of a building. It also creates a unique aesthetic, as seen here in the Omaheke Regional Study & Resource Centre in Gobabis, Namibia by Nina Maritz.
©Nina Maritz Architects

Layering onto these ideas, Tatiana Bilbao – an award-winning practitioner from Mexico City, Mexico – says in episode 5 that there must be an ecosystem of care, i.e. services and resources available in the neighbourhood, by the community. This will reduce our environmental footprint which, at present, is too dependent on public institutions and corporations.

While some emphasise the power of architecture, Amory Lovins – a world-renowned energy expert based in the USA featured in episode 1 – stresses that it’s not about how individual buildings or their elements perform, it is how they perform collectively. He says that integration is a strong determinant of sustainable outcomes.

Amory also talks of supply chains, i.e. how products are sourced and manufactured. Elaborating on this in episode 3, Nigel Stansfield, Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer at Interface – a company that Amory singles out – reveals what it takes to produce carbon-positive carpets in a competitive market.

The global marketplace, says Maria Atkinson – a sustainability advocate in Sydney, Australia – is governed by values and norms that often override local concerns. In episode 2, she offers a peak behind the curtains in board meetings and international gatherings of experts in which she participates, where the difficult question of ‘how change happens’ is unpacked.

Parkroyal Collection Pickering, a hotel by WOHA in Singapore, changed the perception of greenery within buildings. Its success, commercially and in public opinion, led to imitators, creating a ripple of change.
©Patrick Bingham

The Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore, also by WOHA, pushes the case for vertical greening further. It is a prototype for high-rise tropicality that challenges ideas of beauty in architecture.
©Darren Soh, WOHA

In episodes 8 and 9, Paul Finch – founder and program director of the World Architecture Festival – summarises how the worldwide community of professional architects frame ideas of good and beauty in design, which need to be reimagined when seeking sustainability. In the bonus episode, he gets the last word on what it is that gives him hope for the future.

Season 4 is now in the making. We will elevate the conversation by examining what was alluded to in season 3. Our listeners also tell us they want to know more about how ideas – local or global – affect their work and the day-to-day challenges they face. Stay tuned.