We are living in a climate emergency - the sixth mass extinction. As an industry we know we must de-carbonise fast [1], but the scarcity of carbon literacy in the profession is restricting our ability to act. Architecture schools could play an incredibly positive role in addressing this knowledge gap.
To make this happen, architectural education needs an overhaul. Presently, schools across the country are not imparting basic carbon literacy skills, failing both their students and the wider public.
After five years in formal education, architectural graduates are entering the workplace unaware of the severity of the climate emergency, and without the technical know-how to tackle it. [2]
Essential knowledge now needs to be embedded within curriculums, educating on the environmental impact of architectural practice and the wider construction industry. We believe teaching around environmental design must be incorporated into every module, utterly normalising it and removing its specialist status.
[1] UN Climate Goals and see the government’s Climate Change Committee website for more information
[2] Scott McAulay of the Anthropocene Architecture School, Crisis Studio
1-4, Educational Troubleshooting and Feedback (2020)
Campaign Aims
We are campaigning for increased climate literacy in all course programmes starting autumn 2020.
Specifically, we are calling for schools to embed ACAN’s three aims into curriculums:
1.
DECARBONISATION
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Climate change fundamentals and the impact of the built environment
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Whole life net zero carbon design
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Retrofit and reuse
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Policy, legislation and national commitments
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Design for deconstruction
2.
ECOLOGICAL REGENERATION
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Fundamentals of the global ecological crisis and impact of construction supply chains
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Life cycle analysis and ecological materials
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Circular economy design principles
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Water conservation
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Enhancing biodiversity, integration of non-human habitats
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Principles of regenerative design
3.
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
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Ethics and architecture: wider impacts of the built environment and the meaning of professionalism in the anthropocene
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Critical thinking: what hasn't worked and why are we in this mess?
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The agency of the architect to affect change
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To-build or not-to-build: the impact of developmentalism as a mindset and architectural approaches that are not buildings
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Foresight: adaptation and visioning for likely scenarios.
Campaign Actions
We are inviting students, graduates and professionals to join this movement.
We are offering seminars, workshops, talks and discussion, all while lobbying every level of the educational hierarchy. Valuable work is already underway, but it is not enough. We are asking schools: Can you do more?
Take part in the Educators Climate Crisis Workshops:
On July 29th ACAN will be hosting a two-hour intensive workshop for educators in schools of architecture.
We recognise the quality of climate and ecology-related teaching already present in many schools, and are seeking to support the cross-pollination of these ambitious ideas and approaches.
We want to hear from you! Join us here
DO YOUR PART
By following the simple actions
below...
ACTION 1!
Write to your head of school.
Demand a better climate education.
* Optional. The data will only be used for the purposes of this campaign, tracking momentum and encouraging others to act. Please use official school naming.
LETTERS SENT:
84
ACTION 3!
Still want to do more?
Find a climate action group near you, or start one at your university.
ACTION 4!
Share the campaign:
If you would like to join ACAN, have any questions about the campaign, or are interested in setting up a climate group at your school, we would love to hear from you! Our email is education@architectscan.org
CURRICULUM CAMPAIGN ACTIVISTS
Already signed up:
Lucía Rodríguez Ramírez
Erin Wilkinson
Bradley Fletcher
David Hasson
Iva Stanisheva
Jamie Wilson
Alex Malden
Jayanaveenaa P
Mario Lindner
Jeffrey Keaus
Paul Ring
George Wallis
Grey Grierson
Felix Wilson
George Brazier
Escuadra
Ana Carolina Helena
Paulina Barba
Inga Michelau
Dagmara
Kelvin
James
Francesca Tattersall
Duncan Baker-Brown
Rose Burgoyne
Kamola Askarova
Joseph Chapman
Erin wilkinson
Andrew Copolov
Terri
Nicola Mead
Izzy Tribley
Francesca Rausa
Karolina Banasik
Ben Yeates
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Ben Spry
Universidad de Costa Rica
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Norwich University of the arts
University of Central Lancashire
Oxford Brookes University
University of Westminster
Oxford Brookes University
New Delhi School of Planning and Architecture
Brandenburg University of Technology
Nottingham Trent University
Northumbria University
London School of Architecture
The Bartlett
Edinburgh School of Architecture
The Bartlett
Universidad Iberoamericana
Universidade de Lisboa
ITESO, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara
Peter Behrens School of Arts
University of Westminster
University of Nairobi
Norwich University of Arts
London Metropolitan University
University of Brighton
Welsh School of Architecture
Royal College of Art
University of Sheffield
Robert Gordon University
Royal College of Art
Sheffield Hallam
University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
Royal College of Art
London Metropolitan University
University of Sheffield
London Metropolitan
Royal College of Art
ACAN!
ACAN is a network of individuals within architecture and related built environment professions taking action to address the twin crises of climate and ecological breakdown.
Contact us directly: