Ten Shades of Green: Architecture and the Natural World

Peter Buchanan

Foreword by Kenneth Frampton

Praise for Ten Shades of Green:

"[A] carefully considered survey of the state of environmental building today: an intentionally diverse collection with an emphasis on performance and design. . . I recommend this book as one of few compendia that successfully present a snapshot of contemporary environmental architecture within a cogent theoretical trajectory. . . . [Buchanan's] critical expertise situates him well in this debate as one of the leading advocates of 'green theory'. . . . Ten Shades elucidates the potential for sustainable architecture in contemporary culture."
—Journal of Architectural Education

"[N]ot just good for the planet but offers architects new opportunities for creativity and innovation."
—Landscape Design Trust Journal

"[O]utstanding.highly recommended."
—California Bookwatch

"This is an unashamed manifesto, timely and well argued."
—Architectural & Interior Specifier

Overview

Contemporary buildings, like contemporary forms of urban development, are major contributors to the environmental crisis. In this book documenting a major traveling exhibition organized by the Architectural League, curator and critic Peter Buchanan uses ten buildings that combine environmental responsibility and design excellence to argue that sustainability is not just good for the planet but offers architects new opportunities for creativity and innovation. He shows that there is no single route to sustainability and no such thing as a green aesthetic. Rather, through a range of building types, he demonstrates that increased awareness of a building’s setting combined with advances in technology create unlimited opportunities for responsive design. Generously illustrated with four-color photographs and plans, the book includes work by an international roster of architects, including Norman Foster, Neutelings Riedijk Architecten, Herzog + Partner, and Renzo Piano.

Contents –

• Preface by Rosalie Genevro
• Foreword by Kenneth Frampton
• Green Culture and the Evolution of Architecture
• The Ten Shades
• Beyeler Foundation Museum, Riehen (Basel), Switzerland 1992-1997
• Commerzbank Headquarters, Frankfurt, Germany, 1991-1997
• Cotton Tree Pilot Housing, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, 1992-1994
• Gotz Headquarters, Wurzburg, Germany, 1993-1995
• Hall 26, Hanover, Germany, 1994-1996
• Jubilee Campus, University of Nottingham, 1996-1999
• Minnaert Building, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 1996-1999
• Mont-Cenis Training Center, Herne-Sodingen, Germany, 1991-1999
• Slateford Green, Edinburgh, Scotland 1996-2000
• Four Houses: Fernau & Hartman Architects, Rik Joy Architect, Lake/Flato Architects, Brian Mackay-Lyons Architecture Urban Design

About the Author –

Architect, writer, critic, and consultant in environmental design and planning, Peter Buchanan lives in London.

ISBN: 0-393-73189-8; 2006; 128 pages; 164 color photos and drawings; paperback