CREJ

46 / BUILDING DIALOGUE / September 2020 ELEMENTS Responsive Design Responsive vs. Reactive Design – Building for Resilience T hroughout the course of human histo- ry, nearly every dramatic global event – wars, pandemics, political revolutions or climate change – has precipitated a change in the ecology and design of our built environment. Some of these changes have been lasting and beneficial: the transformation of European capitals like London and Paris due, in part, to the cholera ep- idemic; 19th-centuryNewYork’s reaction to the tene- ment housing crisis; the rebuilding of Berlin after the war. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are called to question theways inwhichour built environ- mentsmight need to adapt. Shouldwe eliminate open- plan offices, expand elevators and hallways, replace existing fixtureswithantibacterial surfaces, shift retail environments entirely online? Will we see the end of large office towers and concentrated business centers? Will everyone actually work from home five days a week? As architects and designers, our challenge is to re- spond to the needs of today while anticipating the needs of tomorrow. With acute threats like overpopulation, pandemics, and climate change forecasted, our role becomes that of mediator. Rather than adopting a reactive approach wheredesignsolutionsaresimply tailoredto theneeds of the current crisis, the design community needs to step back, take stock and channel the lessons from the lastmonth, year, decade, andcentury tocreate integrat- ed solutions that are positioned for resilience. The pandemic isn’t over. Most lessons will take time to unravel. Instead of claiming that we know the an- swers, we’d like to pose a series of ideas that the archi- tecture and design field should consider, ideate and debate. Collectively if we are all asking the right questions, sharing information, and creating dialogue and disser- tation, we can establish best practices that benefit the global community, ultimately creating safer spaces, more integrated communities, and inspiring environ- ments for humanity to live, work and play. • Whathavewe learnedinthe last sixmonths? There is a dichotomy within this crisis between those who feel like time has slowed to a crawl and otherswho are inthe thickof rapid innovationandswift sociopolitical and cultural change. On the innovation side, we have seen exceptional ingenuity with companies and individuals producing products faster and more efficiently than we have seensinceWWII. Projectshavebeenstreamlined, retail spaces have been retrofitted overnight, and hospitals have popped up in shopping malls and convention centerswithin days. What canwe learnfromthe innovators?Howcanwe adapt their best practices and apply their efficiency to building design of the future? Here are a fewof our key takeaways fromthe last six months: 1. Bureaucracy and the long decision-makingprocess typically associated with architecture and design can be condensed intomore efficient timelines. 2. Whilewe have beenwalking around the conversa- tion of what the future of work looks like, the future is nowandwe need a new set of best practices to ensure the spaces we are building will be needed 10 and even 20 years fromnow. 3. The digital revolution is here. Shopping malls and traditional centers of retail have been waning, but overnight became obsolete. How can we use the same innovation concepts discovered during COVID to re- imaginewhat centers of commerce look like? Howcan we repurpose the current built environment to fit the needs of the newworld? • H owcanwe adapt our spaces toprioritize physical and mental well-being? The trend toward wellness in buildingdesign, whilenot new, will be amplified in the wake of COVID. Beyond lighting, natural sunlight, ven- tilation, and nontoxic materials, how can we take best practices from the health care environment and apply them in a stylish and savvy way for hospitality, office space and retail? How can we adapt these concepts to work in our homes? It needn’t require a complete overhaul. Instead, de- signcanincorporatesimplesolutions that canbeeasily retrofitted to promotewell-being in our public and pri- vate spaces. How might we expand walkways within high-traffic areas, ensure adequate air circulationwith windows, create easy-to-access, portablehand-washing areas, and increase the use of easy-to-clean materials and surfaces? Beyond physical well-being, we must also ensure that spaces are designed to benefit mental health. The Matt Robertson President, Clutch Design Studio 50Fifty is a WELL certified building in southeast Denver.