Design for Life

Mehr zum Buch

Design for The Architecture of Sim Van der Ryn surveys the work and principles of a leader in sustainable architecture. Drawing from years of teaching and his building designs, the author emphasizes that buildings are organisms and cities are complex ecosystems. It illustrates Van der Ryn's insights into nature's shifting patterns and their impact on how people live and work in constructed environments. He critiques how architecture has created barriers that disconnect us from the natural world and advocates for a reconnection with our surroundings. As California State Architect, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown, Van der Ryn pioneered the nation's first energy-efficient government projects, ushering in a Golden Age of ecologically sensitive design and leading to strict energy and disability access standards for state buildings and parks. His work inspires architects to integrate physical and social ecology into their designs. Van der Ryn, president of a renowned northern California firm, taught at the University of California, Berkeley for over thirty years, encouraging a new generation to create buildings and communities attuned to place, climate, and human interactions. He has authored six influential books on planning and design, including Sustainable Communities and Ecological Design, and resides in the San Francisco Bay area.