Mercury Rising: Architecture Beyond Greenwashing

“Hot, hot, hot, hot/ Hot, hot, hot, hot” Yeon Kim / Troelsen Thomas / Sigvardt Mikkel Renee, “Hot Summer,” in Strictly Physical, ed. Monrose (Universal Music Publishing Ab, Emi Music Publishing Denmark A/s, Culture Technology Group Asia, S M Entertainment Co. Ltd., Ctm Outlander Music Lp, 2007). Because it relies on extracted materials, isn’t construction unsustainable by design? Pressure is increasing for the sector actors’ to diligently address the harm caused by the built environment, from new construction to usage and demolition, begging the question of whether real ‘sustainability’ in architecture and planning is possible. For the industry, the temptation is great to adopt strategies of simulated commitment instead of investing in actual change toward less emissions. NGOs have called out large companies for ‘low integrity’ pledges, pointing at the systemic social, political, and ecological injustice the built environment creates via material, wealth, culture, and labor extractivism. While institutionalized greenwashing hollowed the term ‘sustainability,’ how do architects and designers position their work beyond the inadequacy of a flattening universalistic understanding of a ‘sustainability beneficial to all'? What emancipatory forms of practice allow for accountable and revolutionized construction modes? How to face the mistakes of the past and form new values grounded in humility? In this lecture series, we will discuss how the discipline of architecture corrects course in the face of a climate crisis of unprecedented magnitude—beyond greenwashing. Guest Talks with: Meriem Chabani (06.03.2023), Jennifer Newsom & Tom Carruthers (03.04.2023), Sarah Graham & marc Angélil (24.04.2023), Architects Climate Action Network (15.05.2023)