[ours] Hyper-Localization of Sustainable Architecture

The most exciting architecture today is not only environmentally astute but re-imagines a sense of place. The book [ours] by Andrew Michler is a collaboration between eVolo Magazine, host of the annual Skyscaper Competition, and the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University on unveiling new architecture archetypes from around the world. These projects are defined by and define the place they are in, embracing environmental needs with bold design.

                                            [Australia Unfolds]

[ours] disseminates how the best architecture comes together to create regional identity in the 21st century while reducing their impact and improving quality of life. 

We see the re-imagining of the  built environment as one of the most important goals in thriving on an altered planet in the 21st century. Regions are responding to the challenge through inventive and provocative architecture. 

[Japan Condenses] some of the most innovative interior design in the world with space constrained design vernaculars leading to extraordinary solutions for urban living. 

[Spain Wraps] to dramatically reduces energy use and improve natural lighting while providing a new face of the built environment to the community.

[Australia Unfolds] to boldly explore how design practices inform a contemporary sense of place and provide solutions to complex issues in an environment of extremes. 

These three divergent areas exemplify the quality of redefined design vernacular that addresses deep sustainable objectives and reject the impersonal international style that has dominated the world's urban landscape for half a century.

                                      [Japan Condenses]

Other regions from around the world will be explored as well including [Germany Maintains] exploring passivhaus, [Mexico Buries] is architectural topography underground, [Cascadia Harvests] the experimentation of building big with wood, [Denmark Plays], South Africa and Central America. The profiled projects are extraordinary and diverse, making for a powerful narrative on contemporary design.

                                                  [Spain Wraps] 

By pushing the envelope these selected projects create new architectural archetypes, integrating function and form to improve performance. We will explore how architects have learned from their failures and from taking risks.

The potential of the manifestation of hyper-local contemporary sustainable design is everywhere. With this book we aim to catalyze a conversation on how deep design attributes are both environmental profound and socially progressive and distinct.

Rather than put great cutting edge building projects in isolation we want to look both inward at how they work and came to be, and outward at how environmentally astute architecture is informed by and can redefine the society they are placed in.

The IBE is heading the development of the Place Assessment Tool or PAT, an integrated design attributes system used for the book's project selection. PAT promises to help design professional visually prioritize place making needs and environmental attributes in design phase of project development.

The publication will feature in-depth narratives, interviews, and large format project photos and descriptions. 

Some readers may just enjoy the sheer beauty in the novel designs, while others may take the knowledge and apply it to their region.

• Art book quality with ground breaking architecture design theory 
• Approximate pages: 250 
• Large full color photography of selected buildings
• Four regional chapters narratives
• Projects descriptions
• Project drawing index with floor plans, elevations and diagrams

Save at least $10 on your copy through Kickstarter (and you help make an even better book)!

Why we need your support!

This is an exciting idea to explore but its going to take a lot of work. We have a great group of interns to support, some research equipment to procure and of course a little bit of travelling to do. To get the best information possible we plan to go to the source- explore buildings and regions firsthand, interview the architects and occupants, and take a lot of photos and video. While the funding target is low for a project of this scope every bit of funding we can raise helps uncover great buildings and people that can demonstrate a new way to develop high performing architecture.

The funds raised from Kickstarter are for research only, not for things like printing and distributing.  

Naturally we will have lots of updates on our travels and learnings exclusive for Kickstarter backers: think of it as a real time whirl-wind tour of the world's contemporary architecture scene.

Great building should be recognized by how it responds to where it is.

More stuff:

Rewards amounts of $66 and $111 will receive a copy of eVolo Magazine #04 in August. Andrew has an article about Steven Holl's Museum of Ocean and Surf and one on Perkins + Will's Collage of Art and Collage of Education at Sabah Al-Salem University City 

Discover your inner parametric architect. At the $44 and $88 reward level we are offering the playful and mindful handcrafted zenblock. A building block that requires a special touch to be stacked or balanced. Custom made for this Kickstarter campaign each unique block is created with reclaimed birch and non-VOC painted on a single facet with eVolo Magazine colors and finished with a non toxic oil finish.  

Who we are:

Author: Andrew Michler LEED AP BD+C Writes regularly for Inhabitat, the largest green design website in the world, and eVolo on contemporary environmental building design. He is also a founding associate of Rocky Mountain Passive House and has designed and is building the first cradle-to-cradle off-grid Passive House. He has been in the green building and design field for 20 years and has written hundreds of articles on sustainable architecture, technology and concepts. Read Andrew's interviews with William McDonough, Bob Vila, and Joe Lstiburek.

Research: Dr. Katharine Leigh IIDA, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP BD+C The 2010 Design Intelligence Most Admired Design Educator, sits on the IBE governing board and leads the Interior Graduate Program at CSU. Her two main emphasis in research are creativity and sustainable design.

Research: Tara Steckly MMP LEED Green Associate A collaborator & manager at the Institute for the Built Environment, sustainable design advocate & creator, facilitator & connector of community partnerships, volunteer of USGBC Colorado, green building education coordinator for the Sustainable Living Fair. Tara oversees the research efforts of CSU graduate research interns for this project.

Publisher: eVolo is an architecture and design publisher focused on technological advances, sustainability, and innovative design for the 21st Century. Our objective is to promote and discuss the most avant-garde ideas generated in schools and professional studios around the world. Established in 2006, eVolo hosts the world renowned annual Skyscraper Competition which recognizes outstanding ideas that redefine skyscraper design.

Research: Institute for the Built Environment (IBE), founded in 1994 at Colorado State University, is a multidisciplinary research institute whose mission is to foster stewardship and sustainability of the built and natural environments through an interdisciplinary educational forum.  

Music Start Shootin' by Little People   

Cover Project K2 Apartments in Victoria, Australia by DesignInc