The Future of Architecture

Hello dear friends,

Below, you will find the script from a presentation I made for my humanities class during the first semester of CEGEP (2022). The challenge was to delve into a topic blending both scientific and artistic elements. Naturally, I chose to explore the future of architecture, a subject close to my heart.

This presentation extended to a lively 25 minutes, surpassing the allotted time (though the class and the teacher absolutely loved it and didn’t seem to mind). Therefore, I unfortunately couldn’t delve into every detail—ugh, the constraints of time!

Please bear in mind that, at the time of this presentation, I was only 17 years old. As such, my taste and opinions were still in their nascent stages, bound to evolve and refine with the passage of time. Furthermore, the text provided below mirrors precisely what was presented on that day. Although I can polish and rephrase it now if I wish, I would rather leave it as it is, to maintain its authenticity and candor.

I recommend taking a look at the photos I’ve added to the article as you read. They provide a visual companion to better grasp the essence of my discourse.

Happy reading!

In the last few decades, many people have expressed concern about environmental degradation, yet few have taken action. The lack of education and government regulations regarding environmental issues gives us too much power and freedom, which we don’t use properly. Individual ignorance about this problem results in the excessive waste of our natural resources. Polluting emissions from companies deteriorate our water, air, and soil.

Soon, the consequences will worsen, and we will be left with nothing. The weakening of the ozone layer, global warming, deforestation, the poisoning of the flora, the disappearance of animal species, the reduction of clean water, episodes of smog, an increase in acid precipitation, the melting of glaciers, and the rise in diseases among the population are just some of the dire outcomes of our inaction.

And you’re probably thinking, “…wow, Irene, that’s a bit extreme…”

But is it really? All the facts sadly point in this direction and will continue to do so if nothing is done.

By 2050, it’s projected that 68% of the population will reside in urban areas. Cities, unprepared for this growth, face issues like congestion, crime, and a housing crisis. Now, more than ever, humanity needs to evolve sustainably to meet our needs.

Architecture plays a crucial role in this evolution. The construction industry currently contributes to 23% of air pollution, 50% of climatic change, 40% of drinking water pollution, and 50% of landfill waste.

Since the age of 4, I’ve aspired to be an architect. My goal is to incorporate new technologies and innovative materials into my projects, contributing to a new era of architecture and making a positive impact on the world.

A quick disclaimer: The future of architecture is still uncertain, although many are making calculated guesses on the direction it could head. Today, I’ll touch briefly upon this vast subject, presenting a few possibilities. Keep in mind there are many more exciting solutions; this presentation’s purpose is merely to spark your interest in this dynamic field.

Now, one more little sidebar: In architecture at university, I’ve heard that after a project deadline, the class and the teacher often gather to dissect ambitious projects aspiring to be revolutionary. You may think that this is cruel, but consider that we cannot afford to oversaturate this industry with nice projects that lack a backbone. Everything needs to be calculated and improved to the point of perfection, for utility and security reasons. And this “crit” ritual, my friends, we shall do! Or rather, I will do it for you, and you will observe 😉

Le Corbusier—we talked about him in class—had honorable ideas, but some of them could be considered marginal. For instance, separating cities into sections could create dead zones throughout the day. If you work late, going to your office alone could be dangerous on a “dead” street. The same applies to residential areas: during certain hours, there’s nobody on the street because all the restaurants and bars that would be open late are in a separate section. That’s why we design cities with a wide variety of buildings, ensuring a constant flow of activity and eyes on the streets.

Moving on, let’s take a quick look at the capsule pod hotels in Japan. Now, I won’t delve too much into the policies and reviews because opinions vary widely. But honestly, in my opinion, this setup makes me uncomfortable and claustrophobic. It looks dystopian, lacks personality, and can be a breeding ground for disease if not carefully monitored. I don’t even want to think about ventilation issues. And if the pods are not well isolated, you would just hear all the alarms… and snores. There’s always the worry of “what if the door doesn’t unlock?”. It makes me think of a world where people are caught in a constant cycle of work, sleep, work, sleep. It’s almost Kafkaesque, like the character Gregor Samsa in the “Metamorphosis”, who turned into a bug due to his altruism towards his family, resulting in his alienation. We are almost like (trigger warning) *show bugs in drawers picture*. I can only imagine the psychological impact of such builds.

Now, let’s talk about “The Line.” We mentioned it a few classes back and watched a brief video introducing it, so I won’t show another one for the sake of time. But let’s delve deeper into it. At first glance, it seems like a nice idea, right? Its grandiosity and features appear to convey a positive, modern message… or so it seems. In reality, numerous issues arise, even without delving into the ethical aspects.

From an architectural standpoint, it’s problematic. The estimated cost of 1 trillion American dollars, likely to be exceeded, raises concerns. If the focus is really on green technology, then why does this “line” literally cut through the middle of a natural habitat? It looks like it’s forcing its way instead of living in harmony with its surroundings. When natural habitats are fragmented like this, species stop migrating, which can result in the extinction of weaker species and the limitation of genetic diversity. This project lacks wildlife corridors to allow animals to pass and reach water. Although built in the desert, there are still thousands of plant species and animals like snakes, lizards, turtles, and sand cats. Not so sustainable and eco-friendly, huh? Moreover, this 170 km giant mirror wall is going to significantly increase the temperature on both its sides due to the reflected light. Everything around it will get fried. Not to mention the hazard of poor birds flying into it.

Also, organic cities are meant to grow. So, is this “line” just going to keep extending? Or will it start expanding perpendicularly? In that case, “The Line” wouldn’t be much of a line anymore… Moreover, who is going to live at the top and who at the bottom? Is this going to be the Titanic 2.0? If there’s a catastrophe, will they simply close the entrances on each side, trapping people inside? There will also be serious lateral stability issues in case of an earthquake. You can only imagine. This means that braces or outside supports will have to be installed, changing the original look of the project.

The desert’s temperature can reach up to 55°C, so imagine how much energy will be used, considering the top remains open at all times. And if you play with the shade, then how is all the greenery inside going to grow? Unless they find a way to geometrically bend sun rays, I don’t see this as a plausible option.

Lastly, all of this is funded by an authoritarian, controversial government that won’t shy away from using force if they are put in the wrong light. How will it be governed? What will happen to the already non-existent women’s rights there?

These are just a few of the many problems. All these enormous sums of money should help improve the existing infrastructure in the poorer parts of the country instead of creating this project on land where a tribe of native people already live.

Then, there are the spectacular mountains of Neom which are said to host the Winter Olympics (made by the same architects team). They are a true beacon of creativity, but with many underlying practical problems. Can you imagine the cost it would take to make this? And the energy?! I mean, it is definitely something… But why not celebrate and make use of the nature that we already have around us instead? In a deteriorating world, does it really make sense to create artificial nature, when we have such beautiful flora and fauna that we should protect?

I am very glad that so many critics are emerging and that this project’s true intentions are not brushed off into ignorance. Tens of articles, at least, are published on popular sites like Dezeen, offering different angles and critiques.

So you’re probably thinking: “Ok Irene, so what do you think should be done then?”Well I’m glad you asked, ehem hahah.

You may remember the movie that we shortly mentioned in class: “Ex Machina”, when we were talking about Artificial Intelligence. On top of its complexity, did you know that the setting of this film was an actual real place, more precisely, a hotel called Juvet Landscape in Norway? The architects made very minimal interventions to the site, making it overall very sustainable and symbolic. For example, look at this wall, this giant rock — rather than being removed, it was integrated into the room, and the window was “placed” around it.

This all reminds me of the house in Pennsylvania, That Frank Lloyd Wright designed, which had the same philosophy; coexisting in nature, building around it instead of fighting it.

Now let’s talk about tallll buildings. If you have a wind of 10 km/h hitting the bottom of a building, the top of that building could easily receive 70 or 80 km of wind power. For example, at the top of the Burj Kalifa, the tallest building in the world, it’s 200km of wind power. This is where torque comes in – outside bracing could be a solution. We could also implement Frank Lloyd Wright’s concept of the mile-high tower, making a building denser at the bottom, and then it tapers at the top. But the problem with this is that you need to make the bottom so big in order to get a smaller top which. Dropping so much mass would not be very economical. But there’s one new solution, implemented in Calatrava in Dubai, which is going to be the tallest tower in the world. Instead of bracing it, they’ve got cables attached around the building to hold it when it sways. Which not only magnificently holds up the tower, but it’s also quite the sight.

An important kind of architecture that should be used more often is haptic architecture. It is well represented in the movie “Inception”. For example, a businessman notices that he is in a dream because the rug he knows doesn’t have the same usual texture he is familiar with, although the rest of the room looks exactly the same. Throughout the movie, you’re constantly reminded that dreams are not all about the visuals but also about the feelings. When we sleep, our brains work more holistically, activating neutrons for smell, touch, and sound, and this is why we are able to recreate impossible environments so quickly.

So haptic architecture is meant to be felt through the five senses by using natural materials and textures or by manipulating light. By doing this, our experience of a place becomes stronger, and you feel like it can become a part of you.

Another example of this:

The “Blame!” Manga barely has any dialogue, but since the author studied at Parsons, he knew exactly how to set the mood. We can feel the same things that the main character is feeling just by looking at the architecture surrounding him.

Now something very exciting is the creation of new materials. Here I will show you a few practical and eco-friendly ideas. (Look at pictures)

The use of bio concrete that heals its own cracks
Organic fabric made from banana peels
Green rooftops
Newspaper wood
Mycellium bricks
Bricks made from cigarette butts
Mushroom glue for cement
Smart windows power up with nanotechnology
Coolest White: A Painting to Reduce the Urban Heat Islands by 12%
Solar panels (they have been around for a while but are still important to show).

Ok now, I want to show you a few excellent examples that should be closely analyzed and followed by future architects, in my opinion. (It’s better to look at the pictures in the article in order to get a better understanding of what I’m talking about)

the Arc, green school in Indonesia
Singapore’s new Garden airport
Family box, by Sako architects China Beijing
Interesting photos of projects yet to be made (pictures)
The Ku.Be House of Culture in Movement, Copenhagen
Benesse art site, Naoshima
Teshima art museum
Sea airport in Greece
Fort Lauderdale, Florida South African artist Daniel Popper
Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, China, by RSHP
Guangzhou Opera House, in China, by Zaha Hadid
Copenhagen Children’s Hospital by 3XN
General Architecture Collaborative has designed the Learning and Sports
Centre in Masoro Village, Rwanda.

In essence, I believe that to ensure the prosperity of the future of architecture, it is crucial to conserve and protect what we already have, especially the traditional buildings and temples – The builds that define our cultures and helped shape us into what we are today. And when building something new, it’s necessary to do so thoughtfully. We do not, and frankly, cannot be perfect. But It is important to try everything possible in order to live in harmony with the nature that surrounds us. It’s what gave us life, and with or without us, it will prevail, even if we aren’t there anymore at some point.

A few of the many examples of beautiful places that we must preserve: