Architecture, as a discipline, has the potential to serve as a catalyst for cultivating an awareness of our intrinsic connection to the Earth and the broader universe. However, in the contemporary world, architectural practices frequently tend to alienate us from the natural environment, compelling many of us to inhabit indoor spaces reliant on centralized utility systems. This reliance, in turn, exerts significant stress on the Earth's ecosystems.
The essence of architecture should instead lie in its capacity to engage with the surrounding natural elements, including the sun, wind, earth, and rain, thereby prompting individuals to acknowledge their geographical and planetary context. By harnessing these natural forces at the local level, architectural structures could autonomously provide their occupants with essential resources such as energy, water, and sustenance throughout the year.
This thesis embarks on an exploration of the feasibility of integrating these principles of passive design into architectural structures, with the overarching goal of imparting experiential learning opportunities to the broader public. Through this endeavor, architecture can transcend its conventional role and emerge as a conduit for disseminating knowledge and awareness about sustainable living practices. Ultimately, this reimagined role for architecture can play a pivotal part in catalyzing the ongoing human evolution towards enhanced health and resilience, both as individuals and as a species. / Master of Architecture / Architecture should make us aware of how we are connected to the earth and by its extension, the universe. In today's world, it often closes us off from nature instead. Many of us are plugged in to an indoor culture that relies on centralized utility infrastructure to sustain, which often puts great strain on the natural environment.
By interacting with surrounding natural phenomenon such as the sun, wind, earth, and rain, our buildings should remind us of our geographical and planetary context. By gathering these natural forces local, a building could supply its inhabitants with energy, water, and facilitate food production year round.
This thesis aims to explore how a building could demonstrate these principles of passive design to the general public by using architecture as a vessel for experiential learning.
This is the role Architecture can play in the process of human evolution towards becoming a healthier and more resilient species.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/116416 |
| Date | 05 October 2023 |
| Creators | Mitchell, Henry |
| Contributors | Architecture, Jones, James R., Jones, Kevin William, de Hahn, Henri T. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ |
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