Sustainability

The will to shape

If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we always got!

It's in an environment that encourage design freedom, that new solutions can be realized.

Political will

The local administration should change its conventional building approach to demonstrate its interest in the community. For example, changes in development plans should be actively carried out to permit a mix combination of building's end use. Another example is that a political will should exist to create special places to allow unconventional designs.

Aesthetic design

The habitat become a personal living place only when identification become possible through an individual architectonic design. This is not only true in residential sector but also for a commercial building or a city hall.

Interest and appropriation are the most important criterias to promote the creation of sustainable values and successful realisations.

Legal framework

Development in sustainable buildings always implies that the legal frame has to be revised or new implementation needs to be done.

This dialog always occurs on a given issue. One example tooks place in a traditional nursing center where the kitchens for the residents should not be accessible. Together with the political authorities, we found and establish a solution to permit the residents to access in the kitchens in small communities.

Technical requirements

Multiple use of building structure, intelligent combination and rational use of ecologic materials as well as the use of synergy effects are technical examples of sustainable use of resouces. We find many new technical solutions in freiburg's new timber multi-storey house.

Financial model

We have developed new financial models to create new ways that otherwise would not have been possible. One example ist Pro Scholar, a cooperative oriented non-profit rental company wich compensate the risk of small investors in form of solidarity.