Architecture and Sustainability: Rethinking Building Lifespans in the Age of Embodied Carbon
By
Nat Barker
Kettled twice. Extra chewy, extra trustworthy.
Summary
The article examines the question of how long buildings should last in the context of sustainability and embodied carbon concerns. It contrasts the ideal of permanent architecture with the reality that most commercial buildings have a standard design life of 50-60 years, often lasting only half that time. The piece explores the tension between designing for longevity versus adaptability, and how sustainability considerations are changing architectural thinking about building lifespans.
Key quotes
· 3 pulled"When we build, let us think that we build forever," the 19th-century critic John Ruskin famously wrote in his seminal book The Seven Lamps of Architecture.
Most commercial buildings have a standard design life of around 50 to 60 years, and it's common for them to last only half that long.
Concerns about embodied carbon are increasing the impetus to design architecture that stands the test of time.
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