Interview with Aleksandar Ivancic (AI)

Why is it key for architects to understand energy dynamics in the environment?

AI        Energy is the basis of all human activity. I think it’s very important to understand what’s happening around us in order to design in line with nature and not against nature. With vernacular architecture we can understand where we are and what the environmental conditions are because it is not designed with the brute force of machines, consuming enormous quantities of materials, resources and energy.

On the other hand, for the first time in the history of the architectural profession the climate is no longer a fixed condition. For the first time, architects should face the fact that the building being designed is going to last longer than the climate conditions from when the building was designed.

Why do we need to un-learn “generic architecture”?

AI        We see a kind of trend of so-called “generic architecture”, which means that anything can be built anywhere regardless of the conditions and the climate. When Willis Carrier invented air conditioning at the beginning of 19th century to manage indoor climate independently of outdoor climate conditions, it was OK to work in that way. Today, we have a different knowledge. We are aware of climate change and the current environmental crisis, so this idea that anything can be done anywhere is correct technologically, but it doesn’t make sense anymore. That’s why we need to un-learn what some “starchitects” have been promoting by building black glass boxes everywhere around the world, which conflicts with environmental conditions.

What role do architects have in raising awareness about the climate emergency?

AI        Architects are creative elements between clients and users. There’s a lot of work, or let’s say education, by architects when they start to imagine the end use of a building with their clients. Each and every project is an opportunity to spread the message and to show that a different attitude is possible. So, there’s a huge potential in every architect to raise awareness about the climate emergency.

How should we face the demands of urban growth and emissions reduction?

AI        The most important thing is to take into account what we call a systemic approach, what we call the urban metabolism of the environment and how each project is embodied in its site. We need to first analyse the surroundings and then try to couple with what is around us, so we optimise the urban metabolism. We have to deal with harvest maps, waste resources and waste energy in order to reuse them in our intervention.

What impressed you most about the results from the students?

AI        Young architects and young professionals are very well informed about environmental challenges. It was a pleasure for me to see that each and every student was completely aligned with contemporary ideas on the impact of the built environment and the challenges we are facing. There were fresh ideas and some very mature essays about possibilities for our immediate future.