We are concerned that at present our education does not give sufficient weight to the inherently ecological and political basis of architecture, nor to our responsibility to meet our uncertain future with socially and environmentally informed practice.
We appreciate and applaud the efforts of contemporary practitioners, but we ask you to join us in using the freedom and particular responsibility of academic institutions to push our discipline further in this direction.
— Architecture Education Declares
Over 1,663 academics, professors, and administrators, mostly from the United Kingdom, have signed on to an open letter aimed at the architectural community that calls for a "curriculum change" in how architectural educators view their positions relative to the ongoing ecological crisis.
The letter, among other things, compels educators to push national and international certification bodies to "centralise the social and technical dimensions of ecological breakdown in their practices and requirements, and to expand their policies to confirm that failing to engage with ecological breakdown is acting counter to the public interest."
In addition, the declaration asks educators to "conduct annual environmental policy reviews, so that our schools may lead by example, integrating the highest standards in our own policies, divesting from damaging industries such as arms manufacturing and fossil fuels, and exploring new options for positive carbon and ecological contribution."
The effort comes as professional architects in Australia and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in the UK join an international declaration recognizing the existence of a global environmental and biodiversity climate emergency, as well.
In the United States, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) has adopted its own resolution for "Urgent and Sustained Climate Action" that seeks to formalize best practices in sustainable design as standard approaches for how architectural professionals there conduct their work.
6 Comments
WE ONLY HAVE 12 YEARS TO SAVE THE WORLD!
(and after 12 years, we will ONLY HAVE 12 YEARS TO SAVE THE WORLD!)
wash. rinse. repeat.
why hide from that?!?
Derp.
HOW DARE YOU DERP, DIS IS IMPORDENT!
we have a responsibility to address this ecological crisis!
Herp.
I for one like the environment a lot, but is anyone actually convinced that it's not already a focus in the curriculum? If anything, this curriculum is more and more heavy handed in most schools, and is already too politicized while avoiding many difficult issues. For example, so much demonizing CO2 but very little consideration for the damage that solar panels do.
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