Green courses for the architects of the 21st century
This is a 2007 proposal on the systematic integration of green design in the curriculum of National Technical University of Athens School of Architecture.
1.
Introduction
The link between natural phenomena and human activity
becomes increasingly visible today, underscoring the importance of our
relationship with the environment and increasing doubts about the viability of
the dominant economic-political model of consumerist 'perpetual growth'.
Problems such as the urban heat island, the traffic asphyxiation, or the “not
in my yard” charade of landfills are tangible examples of the growing problem
in our country, along with others from the global scene like the antagonism of
oil, the frequent 'unprecedented' floods, or the shrinking polar ice.
Against this backdrop, architecture -which always reflects coexisting
social structures and values- is a major factor of the human impact on the
environment. Looking at the current situations and trends around us, how
realistic is it to believe that architectural priorities after 10-20 years will
be the same as today, where nature is often treated as a decorative background
-and sometimes even as an enemy- in games of private aesthetics?
