In a recent article in The Guardian, architecture critic Rowan Moore asks, "So what would architecture look like–more importantly, what would it be–if all involved really and truly put climate at the centre of their concerns?"

It's true, the architecture profession has created a fantasized perception that every architect aims to not only become a rising star, but also a designer who can "change the world." However, as Moore points out, with the ongoing climate crisis looming across the globe, architects have exactly that possibility in front of them if they approach design fundamentally from an environment-first perspective.  What would the built environment that results look like? How will this transformation re-shape our use of building materials like concrete and steel? 

"What is considered sustainable differs wildly depending on who you ask," Moore writes, "The World Green Building Council, an organization supported by members from the construction industry, holds up the seemingly surprising example of Barangaroo, a huge high-rise development on the Sydney waterfront."

In the article, Moore also highlights the group Architects Declare, whose mission for a climate-focused design strategy touches on the sound perspective Moore advocates for: "Architects (and for that matter contractors, clients, engineers and everyone else involved in making buildings) have no excuse for not giving their utmost to make their work have as little impact on the environment as possible. They have to consider everything – how far stone might have to travel from quarry to site, for example, and whether or not a building’s components will end up as landfill when it is demolished."