lighting systems, modular pre-manufactured housing
and low-impact affordable housing developments.
If you wish to know more about the latest architectural
projects, go to Architecture MGD. If you wish to read
more about the LED's go to Extreme Ops or the AVLS
lighting sites (via ArchitectureMGD).
Sustainable design has been an ongoing factor in my
work for many years now. Where does one start the
process of sustainability? For me it is a state of mind
that permeates my lifestyle choices, my design choices
and the choices of my clients when required.
I work from home. This eliminates commuting and
supports my local community. I recycle. Waste not,
want not and if it's broke, fix it (not replace it as
current society seems obsessed with). I am fully
digital, which means an active reduction in use of paper.
I keep print output to minimum sizes where possible.
Tread lightly and reduce your footprint in life, materially
speaking. Eat fresh and local. Watch energy usage and
conserve. Think laterally and look for alternatives.
Sensible and easily achievable stuff really.
Architecture, which is my chosen profession, can be
extremely demanding on material and energy resources.
There is a balance to be found in every solution, particularly
as some projects are constrained by factors such as
demanding technical peformance or historic criteria.
Back in the 80's, when I was training, sustainability was
just coming on the agenda and fortunately I embraced
the concept early in my work. I studied geography at
school and socio-political thinking was warning of impending
doom, as pre-industrialised nations began to become
mass consumers in their race towards progress. It was
clearly something that was going to require coordinated
effort across the whole planet in the 21st century.
Today, my preference is to push timber engineering as
a major element in my design thinking. The choices for
both structure and fabric of a building are better advanced
than at any other time I can research from history.
History is an important consideration : It demonstrates
how sustainable traditional solutions have developed and
it illustrates where things have failed.
I have illustrated a couple of recent projects where timber
engineering has shown itself to be more than sufficient.
The first projects here involve my work with timber domes.
I have worked with domes (and cones) throughout my
career (as can be seen in my architecture blog) and over
more than a decade I have been working with Dome UK.
The structures they promote are based on a US system
of timber stressed skin panels, which have been used for
well over 35 years in the states. The first domes of this
type constructed in the UK were in national park locations
because of the low visual impact and green credentials of
these structures. Well over 100 of these domes have now
been erected throughout the UK, the largest being this
48m clear span dome in Grangemouth, Scotland.
All the timber used is from managed forestry and the dome form
has interested me for a number of building functions.
I have developed solutions for class 6 housing, destination centre,
swimming and sports facilities, some of which are illustrated.
At Wiveliscombe Pool a unique plank section was specified from
Cedar for all wall and roof construction. This was felled from the
nearby managed forest of Dunster and kiln dried to less than 19%
moisture content. With careful detailing, the 90 year old concrete
block changing room structure was replaced and extended to
provide an aesthetically pleasing, long-life and sustainable solution.
The housing we currently design is minimum UK class 3 eco rated
and where budget and client brief permits, we push for class 6.
I am a keen supporter of rainwater harvesting on all my projects
and energy conservation comes high in priority. Solar collectors,
wind turbine, PV panels, micro-hydro and heat-pump technologies
have been featured in many recent projects as design ambitions
from the outset.
Carbon-neutral and sensible resource use is the only way forward
to meet objectives of improved global harmony, where man's
impact is concerned.
Michael Godfrey 2013
