Biodiversity and climate change adaptation through non-discrete architectural spaces and architectures

Systemic approach to traditions for sustainable futures

Abstract

The research claims that traditions are not static. They develop and adapt based on the present situation. Due to the recent climate extremes coming to formally mild climate locations, their architectures can learn from traditional ones from more climate extreme locations. The present systemic design study on semi-interior, ‘non-discrete spaces’ (Hensel, 2013; Hensel & Turko, 2015), of Norwegian traditional architectures, so called ‘svalgangs’ and ‘skuts’ examine its reuse for today climate change adaptation and support of biodiversity that is currently decreasing. Our agricultural land become so toxic, that its species are recently moving and adapting for life in the cities. The discussed traditional spaces offer various boundary penetration of its surrounding environment while providing mediation of its biotic and abiotic agency. These do not cover only anthropocentric benefits for its users such as light and climate comfort but also offer opportunities of communication with other species or their sheltering.

This practitioners’ historical research survey motivated by design co-developes its own systemic process based methodology Systemic Approach to Architectural Performance that originates from ‘Systems Oriented Design’ (Sevaldson, 2013b) and ‘Time Based Design’ (Sevaldson, 2004). Where, this ‘non-anthropocentric architecture’ (Hensel, 2012) is in over-evolving co-design with ambient environment’s abiotic and biotic agents, including humans.