Hey Gillian! Great post. Just a thought: with the need to build more efficient and environmentally friendly buildings increasing all the time, does this wave of eco-friendly architecture spell the potential end for even more of our older buildings? Hi Andrew!
That's a really interesting point that I was looking into the other day. Surprisingly, the really old buildings are not as environmentally unfriendly as we might think! I have read that they actually require less energy for heating and cooling than more modern buildings. This is because they were built at a time when energy was incredibly expensive and, as a result, were designed with this in mind. Usually, the buildings of the late 19th century and early 20th century have denser walls, shutters for the sun and smaller windows which are able to be opened to enable airflow.
By contrast, the "glass box" skyscrapers of the s onwards attract heat easily in summer and do not retain it very well in winter. The floor-to-ceiling windows are also often unable to be opened because of height. With the advent of new technology and scant regard for finite natural resources, it seems the architects from the s β 90s were more interested in defying nature, than working with it!
Perhaps they will be the target of the new, environmental wave? As for the need for more efficient buildings in the broader sense, I suppose it is a real conundrum.
I hope that we can find a balance between preservation and progression, although I am not quite sure what that will exactly entail!
