The Soul of Architecture

While many of us would love to live or work in an architectural wonder, few of us have the opportunity.

If William McDonough's Cradle to Cradle (C2) is any indication of a future life, we might have the experience.

Below is an excerpt from Architectural Week about C2C along with the winning design.

In 2002, architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart published Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, in which they argued that energy efficiency and waste reduction are not sufficient as sustainability goals. Architects should instead aim for waste avoidance. To explore possibilities for implementation, an international Cradle to Cradle Home Design and Construction Competition called for submissions with innovative approaches to materials and systems for sustainable residential design. The winning team, from Seattle, presents their design that reflects the paradigm and vision laid out in the book. — Editor

The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) standbased on the premise that the "three Rs," reduce, reuse, recycle — all preferred alternatives to ards are simply dumping waste — are mere Band-Aids. McDonough and Braungart say we should instead eliminate waste in the first place by crafting our modern systems and patterns of living to more closely mimic natural systems, where waste does not exist.

Our design for the C2C competition doesn't just eliminate waste in its operation; it creates energy to share with neighbors and the community at large.