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Environment
Recycle Rather
than Rebuild
by Vani Bahl
Today's renewed interest in "green" architecture should heighten
attention to the ethic of preservation, as a cornerstone of
sustainability. Now that the idea of recycling waste has permeated our
culture, I believe we should adopt the slogan, "recycle wasted
architecture."
The case for adaptive reuse is not just nostalgic but economic.
Construction costs are growing, we can't afford to rebuild the
environment every generation. By every accepted economic index,
including increased tax revenues and increased business activity,
recycling in architecture proves its viability.
For preservation to succeed, we have to shed our old habits of tearing
down old buildings and starting over. Instead, we should see
architectural residue from the past as a repository of vast physical,
human, and cultural energy.
Neemrana Fort Palace, Rajasthan, India, a
15th-century fort,
has been restored for adaptive reuse as a heritage hotel.
In Rajasthan, India, I have found numerous examples of 15th century
structures that have been restored and re inhabited. The Neemrana Fort
Palace, once a ruin, is now a heritage hotel. Other structures, reduced
to near rubble, are crying out for new life. Though damaged, wall and
ceiling surfaces can be restored, providing ready-made rich interiors.
We can benefit from the several-century-old craftsmanship, preserving
that human energy Preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation in
architecture cause much less destruction to our natural resources than
new construction. To appreciate this, architects must be sensitive to
the energy used in the production and assembly of materials needed for
new buildings, from their origin to their end of life and subsequent
reuse.
Interior of an abandoned fort in
Rajasthan, India.
A 15th-century step well, in the village
In recycled abandoned spaces, rich interiors come ready made.
Neemrana, Rajasthan, India. Such
monuments are repositories of vast
physical, human, and cultural energy.
Statistics reveal that building construction consumes 40 percent of the
raw materials entering the global economy every year. Interestingly,
about 85 percent of the total embodied energy in materials is used in
their production and transportation. Even before they reach the
construction site, building materials have consumed large quantities of
fossil fuels.
If all the hidden costs were spelled out in the balance sheet, the
recycling of architecture would be perceived as the only rational
strategy for the management of material resources. Then we could
appreciate huge areas of abandoned and semi-abandoned built tissue as
resources, not obstacles for future growth.
Modern construction methods are incredibly wasteful of resources. Up to
25 percent of the total waste generated in the United States, India, and
other countries is directly attributed to building, construction, and
demolition activities. These — often hidden — waste products can be
environmentally hazardous and polluting, both as solids and in the
atmosphere.
High-rises in India that imitate those
built in the west waste energy and are guilty
of "cultural assassination." Construction depends on expensive, imported
technology,
and such buildings can be kept habitable only by massive infusions of
mechanical energy.
Demolition of existing buildings wastes the embodied energy as well as
the energy consumed in tearing the building down, which can be
considerable, given the quality and strength of older structures. Add to
this the cost of incinerating demolition debris, and the wasteful use of
land in fill sites.
Designers sensitive to sustainable practices can establish a recycling
program to reduce the amount of solid waste resulting from construction
and choose materials which are themselves either recyclable or reusable.
By contrast, adaptive reuse is much more labor-intensive than new
construction, because it involves the reconditioning the existing
structures to adapt to modern day requirements. This dependence on human
resources encourages the local community to participate and potentially
revives a vernacular rhythm in architecture. This activity can remind us
that vernacular architecture is one cornerstone of our identity.
Conserving Cultural Energy
The evolution of our societies is reflected in our building types and
styles. This relationship gives older buildings a character we value and
identify with. However, the corporate mentality does not seem to
appreciate the long-term economic value of buildings nor their cultural
spirit. Such devaluation is part of so-called "globalization."
The famous quote by Louis Sullivan, "form follows function," seems to
have become an outdated philosophy, as has "form follows culture," by
Indian artist Satish Gujral. Today's corporate approach to architecture
often would suggest that these sentiments could be reworded as "form
follows fashion." Many modern buildings do not reflect the richness and
complexities of cultural evolution. Few contemporary designers seem to
value the emotional spirit of architecture.
When a building of historic merit is preserved or restored for adaptive
reuse, its cultural energy is also "recycled." History brought back to
active duty, and the elements of the built fabric — walls, floors,
windows, doors, and roof — once again envelop a space to connect inside
with outside to keep out the weather.
Very likely, the old structure was strategically placed to get the best
views and optimum orientation to the sun and wind and climate. It might
have been built to ensure security of the occupants and to strike a
balance between the built mass and the open spaces.
Old buildings preserve the local culture and identity and create a sense
of belonging. In a way, we recycle embodied human resource energy along
with material energy. We bring alive the past to be a part of the
future, creating important connections through time.
Do we wish to erase the link by dumping the stone that has witnessed
passing phases of humanity into some land-fill site? Or, is it truly
"green" to avoid the landfill and grind up community memory into bulk
aggregate? When do we start to value real architecture above a
consumptive fascination with mere newness and fashion?
August 10, 2008
Vani Bahl is a
professional
Architect and associated with US Green Building Council, North
California Chapter
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