Information in this articles comes from my boss--great architect--Tullio Inglese, For more information please visit http://tiaarchitects.com
During this past summer, I interned at T.I.A. Architects in Amhest, MA. My boss Tullio Inglese and this small architecture studio taught me a lot about ecological architecture. By learning about his generic designs and touring his sustainable house and tea house, I came to a better understanding of his 12 principles of ecological architecture.
1. Preserving the Biosphere
2. Reusing Buildings
3. Energy and Form
4. Generic Design
5. Energy Production and Conservation
6. Healthy Buildings
7. Site Harmony
8. Appropriate Materials and Methods
9. Divine Proportions and Alienments
10. Waste Management
11. Social Responsibility
12. Peace Process
Out of all 12 principles, what I was exposed to the most was 8: Appropriate Material and Methods and I learned a lot about wood construction.
Wood use decreases carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, lowers energy consumption and pollution, and provides longevity and adaptability.It came from the nature and eventually goes back to nature, so there is one of the most sustainable material available.
Some people may argue that if we all want to build houses with trees, we will have to cut all the trees. However, the reality is the opposite.We we want to build more with wood, what we increase is the demand for managed forests, which have a greater CO2 impact than unmanaged forests. This is because that managed forests have younger,stronger, healthier trees and those trees can sequester more carbon.
Wood also takes less energy to make and it is easier to transport. Here are some statistics from Tullio's paper: Eco-Wood: The Ecological Benefits of Building with Wood
"Compare the energy used to produce one ton of wood to that of other construction materials: 5 times more energy is required for one ton of cement; 14 times more energy for the same amount of glass; 24 times more energy for steel; 126 times more energy for aluminum." By getting wood as material from local forests, we can save lots of energy.
Can wood structure last?
The answer is definately YES!
The Fairbanks House in Dedham, Massachusetts has stood for 374 years; Urnes Stave Church in Norway has stood for about 860 years; and the Horyu-ji temple in Nara, Japan has stood for about 1300 years; all of them are made of wood!
Wood is also easy to work with because of its great tension and flexibility. In addition, wood does not smell bad and it has a good acoustical property. Last but not least, wood is beautiful!
Here are some pictures of my boss's house--the Queen Truss House. It is influenced by Japanese architecture style to combine building and nature together in harmony.
sources: http://tiaarchitects.com
No comments:
Post a Comment