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What is Discovery currently working on?
We have some very good customers. We work for Vivobarefoot, a company that makes shoes, and in addition to being very committed to regenerative design, they’re also committed to biologically inspired design. We’re also working with artist and filmmaker Ben Rivers on a post-apocalyptic film called After London. I’m not usually one to dwell on apocalyptic scenarios – almost everything I do tries to avoid that – but we find that the methods and materials we might use in such a scenario are relevant to regenerative design; therefore, based on Local materials and simple assembly methods. Additionally, Ben and I thought a lot about the social norms that might exist in this situation. For example, we considered the idea that burning anything might seem taboo, so we’re considering focusing sunlight into insulated rock storage so you can take hot rocks home with you when you need more heat.
How does your work at Exploration relate to that at Architects Declare?
A large part of the motivation behind Architects Declare was frustration with developing regeneration design projects on paper, and being repeatedly told that the market wasn’t ready for these ideas. It becomes ridiculous when the IPPC says we have ten years to avoid disaster. How could I be told repeatedly that the market wasn’t ready when the best scientists in the world were saying we were running out of time?I decided to work with others to try to change the market, which resulted in two collaborations, one Prosperity, a book written by myself and Sarah Ichioka. Another architect declared that it was after an evening in a pub with Steve Tompkins that he was determined to use our institutions to try to change the status quo.
How does the Regenerative Architecture Index fit into AD’s overall change strategy?
From the beginning, we have been focused on system changes because we recognized that some of the changes we needed were not possible at the level of a single company or project. Therefore, we have been working hard to harness the power of our signatories to achieve major paradigm shifts, with initiatives such as Building Blocks to Transform the Built Environment, a manifesto soon to be launched at Portcullis House. Our theory of change is built on Donella Meadows’ systems thinking, which identifies the different places where intervention in a system can have the most profound impact. The most influential leverage points are those that influence the mindset and paradigms that drive the system and the goals that drive its behavior. The Regenerative Architecture Index aims to recognize and celebrate those who are making progress on both levels.
What do you think are the biggest barriers to practicing regenerative architecture? Do you have any ideas on how to overcome these obstacles?
I am convinced that regenerative design must be more than just turning the knob on sustainability. Therefore, it’s even more important to engage your customers from the start, as it requires a significant change in mindset. Our primer on regenerative design includes some advice on how to think differently with your design team and clients. There is a very useful exercise that promotes long-term thinking by encouraging people to focus on how to be good ancestors. We have used this strategy successfully with a range of clients, including one who was very conservative. At the end of the day, few people would say they want their long-term legacy to degrade. The key is to help them focus on the legacy they want to leave.
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