Professor Ratti, what is wrong with Le Corbusier?
In the past century, architect Le Corbusier epitomized two dominant approaches to city planning: a top-down approach, where a single person or entity decides for the whole, and a strict separation between the natural and the artificial world, often failing to harmonize the two. Today, it is crucial to transition to a more bottom-up, interdisciplinary approach that includes the contributions and perspectives of a broader segment of society, including the end-users of the spaces we create.
We are also seeing a shift towards integrating the artificial and natural worlds more seamlessly. This is seen in two dominant trends: the increase of green spaces within urban environments and the rise of smart cities, which leverage technology to enhance urban life. Despite currently operating in separate spheres, these two movements essentially aim for a similar goal: a better integration between the natural and artificial, creating dynamic, responsive environments that can adapt like a living organism. Bringing these communities together to foster a holistic approach to urban development could unlock new, sustainable solutions that are essential in tackling climate challenges, including climate change.
In your efforts to bring together modernity, digitalization, affordability, sustainability, and aesthetics in architecture, how do you find a balance between these factors and optimize them in your projects?
Certainly, this is a multi-faceted optimization problem involving various elements that intersect at different levels. Much of our approach is inspired by nature, where we see an element of constantly evolving mutations that lead to an ecosystem of solutions. We apply this philosophy in our designs to produce mutations in the artificial world, taking inspiration from breakthroughs like the iPhone, which created a whole new ecosystem.
Moreover, we believe in taking an experimental approach akin to venture capital where different ideas are tried and tested in real environments to gather feedback and iteratively develop them. It is vital to take into account the local conditions including climate and socio-economic factors, which often necessitates distinct solutions in different cities. Our design process integrates this learning from nature both in the solutions we create and in the method of their creation, bringing a dynamic, evolving approach to urban design.
Can you provide examples of recent projects where you have applied this philosophy and perhaps touch upon the role of artificial intelligence and nature in these initiatives?
Yes, in the Helsinki Hot Heart project by our firm, CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, we leveraged sustainable technology to deal with city heating by utilizing wind power stored in thermal batteries, which are essentially floating islands filled with hot water, a solution much more affordable and sustainable compared to electric batteries. This initiative could potentially be mirrored in warmer climates like Dubai but with a focus on cooling instead of heating, showcasing the flexibility and adaptability of this concept. This project beautifully intertwines with nature, resembling floating forests, and is built with utmost consideration for the sea ecosystem. AI plays a significant role here, helping to maintain a seamless operation through real-time monitoring and control.
Additionally, I would mention CapitaSpring, a skyscraper in Singapore jointly designed by BIG and CRA, which opened to the public a few months ago. For this project, we envisioned a building with a central "green oasis", a 35-meter high open-air garden of tropical plants and vegetation. This multi-level green space situated in the middle of a skyscraper is designed to be a converging point for people - for work, casual strolls, relaxation, exercise, and events - bringing a piece of nature into everyday urban life.
All these projects stand as a testament to our commitment to blending technological advancements with nature to foster sustainability and enhance life in urban settings.
What methods do you use to avoid the top-down approach seen in Le Corbusier's designs, and how do you incorporate feedback to ensure inhabitants’ satisfaction with your buildings?
Certainly, avoiding the top-down approach that was quite evident in Le Corbusier's design in Chandigarh, where the local conditions and the needs of the local people were somewhat overlooked, is crucial. In my opinion, to steer clear from this path it is essential to foster multiple channels of feedback, valuing the crucial role played by the media in this context. When we develop a concept or a design, making it accessible and receptive to both positive and negative feedback from the community is vital. It fosters a kind of co-design process, transforming it into a collaborative exercise that embodies the preferences and needs of the prospective inhabitants.
By making the project accessible to people beforehand, it opens up a venue for potential feedback, which can be utilized to enhance the project further, almost turning it into a community project. This concept of participatory design, which opposes Le Corbusier's approach, started gaining traction in the 1970s, promoting a more open and inclusive approach to design. With today's technology, it is easier to implement feedback loops and to involve people not necessarily by bringing them to the design table, but by exploring various feedback avenues, evolving the design based on collective input, and fostering a participative and open source approach to urbanism.
How do you address the aesthetic concerns associated with the integration of renewable energy installations, especially in the context of your involvement in the solar farm project for the World Expo in Rome in 2030?
Aesthetics in renewable energy projects indeed holds significant importance.
With our project Feeling the Energy, developed during the 2022 Milan Design Week for energy group Plenitude, we demonstrated how it is possible to harmoniously blend renewable energy installations, like photovoltaics, in a historical garden, thereby generating energy without compromising the beauty of the location.
The art of agrivoltaics offers a fascinating pathway in this context, where photovoltaics can be seamlessly integrated with nature.
The Expo project in Rome, in fact, envisions a collaborative exploration, inviting countries from around the world to showcase different innovative approaches to energy utilization. This would not only be an experimental ground but also a medium to understand popular perceptions and adaptability to these innovations. The goal is to design systems that are flexible and can evolve based on the feedback and preferences of the people, promoting a collaborative and open design approach that is adaptive and people-friendly, thereby ensuring an aesthetic that is receptive and harmonious.
What message would you like to convey to the public and to architects regarding the underestimated role of architecture in the green transition?
To the general public, I would like to emphasize the substantial impact cities have on our environment and how our behavior and preferences can influence it. The public holds a pivotal role in steering the political agenda towards more sustainable urban development. It is essential to be cognizant of the ecological footprint of our cities and to actively partake in reducing it, whether through lifestyle changes or by advocating for swift policy changes.
For architects, the green transition presents a dual-edged sword, a "utopia or oblivion" scenario as described by the 20th century American polymath Richard Buckminster Fuller. There lies a magnificent opportunity to redefine the relevance of architecture by integrating sustainability at its core. By focusing on substance over form and by proactively responding to the pressing challenge of decarbonization, architecture can play a pivotal role in societal transformation. However, failing to do so can render architecture irrelevant. Therefore, architects must seize this opportunity to foster a utopia through sustainable, responsible, and community-centric designs that facilitate the global transition to a green and sustainable future.
