Tag: ecosystem

Architecture & Building

Find out all there is to know about organic architecture 

Firstly, what is organic architecture?  

Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world. This is achieved through design approaches that aim to be sympathetic and well-integrated with a site, so buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated composition. 

Essentially organic architecture is also the literal design of every element of a building: From the windows to the floors, to the individual chairs intended to fill the space. Everything relates to one another, reflecting the symbiotic ordering systems of nature 

Who created organic architecture?  

The term was invented by Frank Lloyd Wright. The first example of this design style was Wrights Fallingwater, built in the late 1930s. The house was designed to be a holiday home for the famous Kaufmann family. 

 However, when the Kaufmann’s first looked at Wright’s plans for their new summerhouse, they were actually disappointed. The family had expected the house to have views of the beautiful waterfall in its grounds; instead, Wright had designed a house that would sit on top of the waterfall.  

Although, the Kaufmann’s soon came round to the idea, and they grew to love their house, which, as it has aged, has come to seem even more at one with its natural surroundings 

Image: https://franklloydwright.org/site/fallingwater/

Characteristics of organic architecture –  

 Frank Lloyd Wright’s book “In the cause of architecture, published 1908, Wright highlighted important elements of organicity:  

  • Doors, windows, and furniture should blend with the ornamentation of the structure.  
  • The colour of fields and woods should inspire the main colouring of the building to manifest natural aesthetics.  
  • A building should appear to grow primitive from its site and the structure should appear as if created by nature itself.  
  • Simplicity and repose are important qualities to assess the value of architecture. So, there is a need to simplify the design of structure, limiting the number of distinct rooms by instead rethinking them as open spaces.  

What is the aim of this architecture?  

The purpose of organic architecture is to create a sustainable ecosystem. Where the materials and components of construction support one another. And as a result, produce a modern building that looks like a part of natural habitat.  

Design and Inspiration

A beginner’s guide to know all about green roofs

What is a green roof? 

green roofs are buildings that are that is covered completely with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. The roof may include a root barrier, which is a physical wall underground placed so that plants may cohabit together. Also, a drainage and irrigation system, so the roof doesn’t get damaged. An irrigation system is an artificial process of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help the production of crops. The drainage system is so the roof doesn’t get filled up with excess water because it could cause a leak.  

What are the types of green roofs?

There are two types of green roofs and they are: 

Intensive: A tensive roof is one that is used as a recreational space, and often includes similar features to traditional parks and gardens. For example, intensive roofs would usually have shrubs, trees, paving, lawns, and even water features. It is basically a garden on your roof.  

Extensive: Extensive roofs normally intend to be viewed from a different location as visual or ecological features. These also do not have people walk on them apart from for Maintenace purposes.  

Why are they so popular and what are the benefits?    

The green roof market in 2017 was growing by 17% each year. This is because green roofs are very eco-friendly and they are a good way to promote environmental sustainability.  They also have a lot of benefits one of the main ones is that they reduce temperatures and remove heat from the air. In the summer green roofs protect the building from solar heat, and in the winter green roofs minimise heat loss through the added insulation of the roof. They’re also very aesthetically pleasing to look at and that’s why a lot of people go for the extensive roof. Another benefit is that green roofs reduce the risk of fires because of the high water content in the plants. That is a great thing because green roofs provide habitats for birds, insects, and other wildlife.  

Green roofs do tend to be more expensive than a traditional roofs, because of all the extra support and the layers that need to be installed.  You would need to maintain it by removing the weeds and applying fertilizer so that the plants carry on growing. You could also have drainage issues, which could lead to excess water flow. However, the roofs also have an average life span of around 40 years. That would end up saving you around £144,397.00 in the long run.  

As you can see there are far greater benefits for a green roof. If you are an environmentalist or if you’re not this roof provides a lot of positives for the environment and in general.  Over the last few years, they have been becoming a lot more popular and the sales of them are growing.

Gallery of Sky Garden House / Guz Architects - 2
A green roof example