Toward a New Regionalism

Green design is the major architectural movement of our time. Throughout the world architects are producing sustainable buildings in an attempt to preserve the environment and our globe's natural resources. However, current strategies for forming sustainable solutions are typically too general and fail to take advantage of critical geographical, environmental, and cultural factors particular to a specific place. By focusing on the Pacific Northwest, this book provides essential lessons to architects and students on how sustainable architecture can and should be shaped by the unique conditions of a region. Pacific Northwest regionalism has consistently supported an architecture aimed at environmental needs and priorities. This book illuminates the history of a 'green trail' in the work of key architects of the Northwest. It discusses environmental strategies that work in the region, organized according to nature's most basic elements - earth, air, water, and fire - and their underlying principles and forces. This book focuses on technologies, materials, and methods, with a final section that examines thirteen exceptional Northwest buildings in detail and in light of their contributions to sustainable architecture. Critical case studies by Northwest architects illustrate some of the best environmental design work in North America. Architects in the book include: from Seattle, Mithun Architects and Planners, Jones and Jones Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and the Miller-Hull Partnership; from British Columbia, Peter Busby, Patkau Architects, and Terrence Williams; and from, Portland, Allied Works. These projects include innovative design in water and site stewardship, intelligent technologies, passive energy strategies, ecologically sound building materials, and environmentally sensitive energy management systems.