CCNY Students on Changing the Face of Architecture

NEW YORK, NY

Gabriel Alvarez and other young architecture students hope to broaden the way developers and architects think about new projects. “It’s about changing the narrative,” he said, “from ‘look how beautiful’ to ‘look how responsibly beautiful.”

What he’s talking about is “biophilic” design. A relatively new term that means building and developing in concert with the natural world. Google’s newest New York headquarters, built within St. John’s Terminal in Washington Street, uses biophilic principles. Live plants grow along the front of the building, on window ledges, and inside to strengthen the workplace’s connections to nature.

Alvarez, a junior at The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York (CCNY), is taking cues from this relatively recent trend that focuses on creating spaces that promote well-being and productivity by incorporating nature. He thinks about the old cliché that beauty is only surface level and wants to go deeper. Alvarez believes the next generation of designers will understand architecture as art and a statement. “People often focus on the visual appeal because that’s what hits them first,” he explained. “But, as we learn in our courses, behind every beautiful facade, there can be materials like asbestos or even modern compounds that are harmful if not handled correctly.”  

This raises a question about the ethics of aesthetic and sustainability in architecture, beyond just form and function. The program at the Spitzer School through courses like Construction Technology does a great job at highlighting these things, though this education need to extend outside the classroom. Yes, education is key, and it needs to be engaging, accessible, and continuous. As Alvarez likes to say, “It’s about adding responsibility to the definition of architectural beauty.”

Steve Preston, a registered architect in New York and an adjunct professor, thinks it’s less about the details and specifics, more about a way of thinking. “Every design and construction decision, for example, should be questioned and passed through a lens of sustainably/environmental impact,” he explained. “In this sense, students will graduate with a process that will enable them to think environmentally, socially, and economically. And allow them to ask the relevant questions even as the science and technology in the construction of buildings improves in the future.”

As a technology professor, Preston points out that it’s important to consider how a building will affect the community. “Too often we think of sustainability and environmental friendliness in terms of construction and materials,” he said. “People and the communities they live in are the ones who are affected by the decisions made. Sustainability goes way beyond just construction and materials.”

And although biophilic design is good and positive, Preston has some reservations. “Sometimes it borders on the impractical or requires things to be over-designed/engineered and over-built, which may not be the most sustainable solution,” explained Preston. He recalled that when he went to architecture school, sustainability was a minor topic and so it’s exciting to see how far the concept has advanced.

Nicholas Archacki, a senior majoring in architecture, believes his four years of design studio have taught him a lot about sustainable practices. Archacki recalls learning about hazardous materials and green materials. “Throughout studio I’ve tried incorporating this new and green construction methods,” he said. “The only downside with these new green materials is cost.”

Young architects like Archacki are looking to implement environmentally friendly construction materials, but at the end of the day expenses are a significant hindrance to progress. Archacki believes education is only the beginning, and building, construction and zoning rules, and laws need to keep pace with evolving thinking. He hopes the next generation of designers will push for change.

It is reasonable to see that the Spitzer School aims to provide the next generation of designers with the tools needed to improve the environmental impact of buildings and communities. “Many of us look at buildings in the city and say, ‘Wow. That’s beautiful.’ Behind the beauty lies a story of construction with potentially harmful materials,” said Preston. “Sustainability and environmental impact is a huge topic that, in my opinion, needs to be taught systematically throughout the program at Spitzer. We could always be doing more.”

Now, up and coming future architects, like Alvarez and his classmate Archacki, are on a mission. “I will advocate for the use of sustainable options like recycled plastic bricks, recycled concrete blocks, and energy-efficient windows,” said Alvarez. They both hope that they can get jobs in firms that care about how buildings fit into the environment when they graduate.