‘WASTE IS A THIEF’Gimme Shelter Competition Schuylkill Center Philadelphia, PA

Time has proven that basic forms are effective. Innovation has too often been driven by excess, with overuse of resources resulting in incalculable environmental consequences. The benefits of modern approaches can be gleaned and recombined with primitive design, allowing humans to reassess not only our perceived needs, but also to re-contextualize concepts such as technology and progress. To think that a structure can currently improve our relationship with the Earth is idealistic—but to think that it can be more environmentally sympathetic to its surroundings is not. An Appropriate Technology for a post-industrial society will be a system of ‘low-tech’ solutions comprised of variable and interchangeable tectonics. Through a ‘Catalogue of Moves’, the transformation of abandoned post-consumer goods into building stock will give value to waste. When we learn to build out of garbage, waste will cease to exist. Through this process, we will empower people to take personal responsibility, challenge the comfort objective—physically, culturally, psychologically and aesthetically. A new aesthetic framework will be created through an environmental ethic.

[...>>]