Blog 20: Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question and answers?  What is your best answer and why?

• EQ: What is the best way for an architect to incorporate natural surroundings in a building design?
• Best answer: Answer 3 - Green Design
• Best answer: In order to include nature into a design an architect needs to help sustain the structure's natural surroundings through a process known as green design.
• The reason why this is my best answer is because green architecture establishes a metaphorical design approach to organic architecture. By implicating materials and processes in order to pre-serve present and future eco-system through sustainable designs. Unlike my other two answers green design is very creditable movement that is regulated by the United States Green Building Council in order to be accredited as a green building design.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

• In organic architecture philosophy it is a key concept to establish a relationship with the site and the natural world, by interconnecting nature. From there I discovered their are two design approaches you can integrated into a design: metaphorical and literal design approach. Metaphorical or theoretical design approach is obtained through a concept, theme or idea that is found it nature's forms and structures implemented into the design to create a thoughtful or meaningful layout to their design. From this research, I wanted to find a theoretical answer to my Essential Question, so I connected Green Design as possibility. After research beyond the general view of green design as just being sustainable I also found to my discovery that this method executes to integrate nature into a design by a conservative process aimed to preserve the natural world and  its users through sustainable materials and developments. Considering my answer 1 & 2, I do favor them in their design concepts yet both answers lack the funding to develop more research on their efficiency as well as their limited real world applications. The author of "It's alive How closely can a building emulate nature?," is an article published by Global Newspaper Company stating that biomimetic architecture has lacked in research and interpretation by the field of architecture; in addition biomimetic design approaches do not always have a practical or functional end product. Comparing my choices I found that green design has been a well expanded movement that is a reliable concept approach since not only seeks to find sustainable solutions to conserve the well being of nature and its users, but also that this design is regulated by the United States Green Building Council, in order to meet green design certifications. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

• One of the main source of problems I found was the limited amount of research I found online. In order to get a deeper knowledge or idea of any of my answers I had to research through advance search and look up possible books that may have a more in-depth knowledge of my topic. I also took to my advantage Purther's Cal-Poly Library account and used it to look up an articles that are found on green design, and how to exactly establish a green design. What I found to my knowledge is that every design is specifically unique and there are different design solutions on how to approach a design issue. Although there are general codes and guidelines in order to establish an accredited green design, each design is approached through a unique method of design.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Hall, Deana Christi. ʺThe use of green design in architecture and interior design in the state of Texas- A five year review.ʺ Ann Arbor, 2010. Web. 29 April 2014.
• The reason why this source is so reliable is because is a study conducted over a longitudinal five year period by the Lamar University. This source also gives much generally and precise background literature in order to educate the reader on the subject before analyzing the given data.
•  Wu, Alexander. "raising the bar on green design." Nielsen Business Media, 2005. Web. 29 April 2014.
• The reason why this source is creditable the author Alexander is a graduate from Northwestern University who is current working as a Solutions Architect at Aggregate Knowledge, a Neustar Service. This source specifically emphasis the importance of human connection to nature and the benefits of productivity; this concept is especially important in organic architecture since one of its philosophies is to establish a interconnection with nature and the its inhabitants.