5 Sustainable Architects and Interior Designers to Watch
Rising global environmental issues and the increasing consciousness of human's impact on the environment have given momentum to sustainability among businesses in various sectors. The building sector is probably not the first to come to mind when considering the environmental effects of various industries. Although, it should be, given that residential and commercial buildings are responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Considering population growth, it’s no wonder the building sector’s adverse impact on the environment will proportionally increase. On the other hand, luckily, the building sector is taking some actions to lower this negative impact. From using sustainable materials to controlling waste management, the building sector can reduce its burden in many ways.
However, whatever the action plan is, interior designers and architects play an essential role in increasing sustainability in the building sector and driving the industry towards the trend of more eco-friendly apartments, houses, and offices. In this article, we'll look at 5 of the most influential sustainable architects and interior designers to watch and explore their passions and design choices to shape the future of the sustainable building sector.
What is sustainable architecture?
Sustainable architecture emerges as a need to create sustainable spaces that are environmentally responsible and energy efficient. It is also referred to as green architecture or environmental architecture. Architects and interior designers are no longer dedicated to only creating aesthetically pleasing and functional spaces but also ensuring that they are sustainable. It's the practice of creating environmentally responsible spaces by producing smart designs and using available technologies to ensure that structures generate minimal harmful effects on the ecosystem. Sustainable architecture is not only about energy efficiency but also benefits its community and is healthier for its inhabitants.
Sustainable architecture leads another wave making its way to the stage: biophilic design. Biophilic design refers to a style of interior design that brings nature and the natural world to the forefront. It highlights the importance of natural lighting, eco-friendly materials, neutral colors, and large spaces that intertwine with the natural world.
These approaches and trends challenge architects and interior designers to think outside the box and emerge with fresh ideas and innovative techniques to create a sustainable space. Their creativity has an incredible impact on addressing some of the greatest environmental impacts of the building sector by specifying materials and products that benefit the occupants and environment.
Energy efficiency, materials with low environmental impact, waste reduction, management and safety, longevity, and flexibility are only some of the aspects for architects and interior designers to consider for sustainable building projects.
Below are 5 of the most well-known and emerging eco-friendly architects and interior designers that put sustainability at the centre of their work to watch and get inspired by.
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Ken Yeang
Ken Yeang is a Malaysian architect, planner, and ecologist who is best known for his green and sustainable design based on the science of ecology. An ecology-based approach drives his green architecture and master plans. He placed importance on ecodesign by minimizing the use of non-renewable energy instead of opting for low-energy design. Ken Yeang is best known for his high-rise building designs. Ken acknowledged the skyscrapers as necessary in modern cities and adopted a pragmatic approach to greening the otherwise unsustainable building typology.
His Mesiniaga Tower has influenced skyscraper design with responsive bioclimatic design principles. His key buildings include the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Extension (UK), Solaris (Singapore), National Library (Singapore), Mesiniaga Tower (Malaysia), Spire Edge Tower (India), Genome Research Building (Hong Kong), Suasana Putrajaya (Malaysia). In 2008, Ken was named as one of 50 individuals who could save the planet by The UK Guardian newspaper.
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Elora Hardy
Elora Hardy is a Canadian designer passionate about discovering the potential of sustainable materials in creating beautiful spaces. Creating sustainable buildings that are better for the environment is her way to overcome the environmental pressures of the modern world. Elora uses bamboo and other natural materials in groundbreaking ways to build homes and structures. With her firm Ibuku, she built over 90 bamboo structures in Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other South East Asian and African countries.
Hardy was named an Architectural Digest Innovator in 2013 through her sustained bamboo buildings. You can also see her TED Talk about her building projects titled "magical houses, made of bamboo."
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Ariel Magidson
??Ariel Magidson is a disruptive interior designer and founder of the interior design firm Ariel Arts Studio in San Francisco. Her philosophy behind her design is sustainable design for all, and she tailored her design to the specific needs of the clients. Putting her ecological awareness at the core, Ariel designs for clients from every budget with extreme empathy.
She aims to make green design, fresh, and timeless spaces more accessible to everyday people by taking a more modest and budget-friendly approach. She strongly advocates practices to reduce the interior design industry's negative environmental impact. She is also the author of the book called Your Space, Made Simple: Interior Design that's Approachable, Affordable, and Sustainable.
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Jessica Helgerson
Jessica is an experienced interior designer and environmentalist based in Portland, Oregon. She is inspired by the natural elements surrounding her from living in different places and countries and her upbringing. Her works reflect her inspirations through textures, plant-based materials, and colors. Her interior designs follow three simple concepts: functional, eco-conscious, and luxurious.
Jessica values creating sustainable interiors with natural lighting and open and uncluttered spaces, with her style being described as more playful. Jessica also ran “The One Percent Project” for years to combat homelessness by championing it through her design business.
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William McDonough
William is an architect and globally recognized leader in sustainable development and design. He is known as the pioneer of the Cradle to Cradle Design™, the Circular Economy, and the Circular Carbon Economy concepts.
He aims to maximize the usage of materials, and instead of a reducing, reusing, and recycling strategy, he encourages upcycling materials. He firmly believes that raw materials should be in an indefinite cycle of use and serve as "food" for new products. Willam also co-authored the book “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking The Way We Make Things.”
Sustainability trends in architecture and interior design are significant for a change in the built environment. And the role architectures and interior designers play in increasing the sustainable performance of buildings shouldn’t be underestimated. Their innovative approach drives the sector towards more eco-friendly and sustainable buildings- proving it better to keep an eye on the space. If you’d like to learn more about sustainable building projects, check out some of the sustainable and green building award winners.
Tags: architecture, architect, interior design, construction, sustainable design, green building, green construction