Designing tools: Towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture

Author: Anastasiadi Aikaterini Supervising professor: Ouggrinis Konstantinos-Alketas

Thesis Research Project

Designing tools:

Towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

Technical University of Crete - School of Architecture Academic year: 2020-2021

© 2021 by Aikaterini Anastasiadi, Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/ Aikaterini Anastasiadi, «Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.», Diploma Thesis Project, School of Architecture, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece, 2021

Abstract The focus of this thesis is the study of the design process (research/ understanding, development of solutions and implementation in the living environment) as a means for facilitating action, collaboration and skill development that can lead to practical action and the development of sustainable solutions that come from, and are directed towards the communities that are seek them.

The main objective is the investigation of the design principles and methodology which can be used as a guide for the design stages of architecture projects, which through their construction and later use aim to contribute towards a positive social and environmental change.

First, an overview of different approaches that have arisen as a response to the current environmental crisis is presented, followed by an introduction of Systems Thinking and Design thinking as tools for understanding and collecting information that contributes towards a better understanding of existing interconnected relations, the recognition of possible intervention points and the way these affect the social and environmental context.

Key words: design approaches, impact, sustainability, participation, response

Contents Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 1

Chapter 1: Approaches and principles. ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 1.1 Sustainability ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 1.2 Ecological Design ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 1.3 Permaculture ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 1.4 Circular Economy and Design ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 16 1.5. Conclusions: Guiding principles for architectural design. ������������������������������������������������������ 21

Chapter 2: Analysis, understanding and design tools ������������������������������������������������25 2.1 Systems Thinking ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 2.2 Design Thinking ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 34 2.3. Connecting Systems and Design Thinking. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 41 2.4. Application of the guiding principles in the design process. ������������������������������������������������ 41 2.5. In Architecture �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 42

Chapter 3: Application: Designing a school of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������45 3.1. Introduction of the process �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 47 3.2. Analysis, discovery and understanding �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48 3.3. Identifying the design challenge ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 63 3.4. Available tools for addresign the design challenge through architectural design. ���������� 65

Chapter 4: Conclusions ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������67 The path towards a solution ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 68 Navigating Ambiguity �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 68 Impact ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 69 Study and evaluation of impact. �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 72 Defining success ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 74

Annex: Examples of systems mapping ��������������������������������������������������������������������79

Bibliography ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������86

Introduction

Buildings – Environment – People Dwellings based on the surrounding environment, climate, available materials, and the characteristics of the local community, are not a new concept. Since the very first known settlements, people had been making collective efforts adjusting their houses, using the earth’s main source of energy - the sun, and materials such as stone and clay, in order to reach appropriate conditions of comfort in daily life, thus creating a prosperous ground for the development of social relations and structures.

Industrialization and Architecture Industrialization has brought great progress in most areas of human activity including the field of building design and construction. In the early 20th century, modernism liberated architecture from its past mainly through the use of cheap fossil fuels. Buildings were lit using electricity and temperature adjustment became much easier. Wall thickness is reduced and glass now covers bigger surfaces. Building materials are becoming widely available and advances in transportation are changing the way buildings are designed and constructed.

Even in architecture, the dominant stance of man towards nature becomes apparent through sterile concrete landscapes, the functions of which depend on the constant supply of electricity, contributing to the further degradation of the natural environment.

Today - The problem Nowadays, more than ever, we are aware of the impact of our past actions on the environment but also on the society itself, which was formed based on continuous economic growth, higher production rates and faster consumption. Our generations are the first to experience the effects of these actions on an ever-increasing scale. At the same time, man’s immediate dependence on the natural environment is now clear, making the change in our behaviour and practices more urgent than ever.

This change must occur at all levels of life and areas of human activity, from our daily personal actions to the way we produce, consume, move, and manage the resources and waste we generate.

In the age of technology, information and communication are significantly more accessible to a large part of humanity. People can share knowledge, exchange practices and coordinate their efforts, creating a global network of individuals and communities willing to act.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

In Architecture Designers around the world are re-examining and changing their approach to the built environment and its relationship with the local ecosystems, society and the way we come together and inhabit a place.

Looking for strategies and scenarios related to the adaptation and response of architecture to these global challenges, the need for the adoption of a shared responsibility attitude and practices, based on users and the environment, becomes apparent.

For this to happen, however, free access to tools and methods that support these efforts is also of great importance.

Objectives The goal of this project is to explore the design principles and methodology that can serve as a guide for the design stage of architectural projects which, through their implementation and operation aim to serve as a factor of positive change for the environment and society.

Therefore, the following questions are investigated:

·· Which are the principles that can serve as the main axes of a sustainable approach of architecture?

·· What design tools, methodologies and processes can contribute to the application of these principles in design?

·· And how can positive impact serve not only as a goal, but also as a tool for the design phase and thus, enable a positive response to social and environmental needs?

Methodology To answer the above-mentioned questions, this thesis project is based on the following methods of information collection:

·· Study of bibliography on subjects relevant to the scope of this project, consisting of literature, articles, publications, case studies, audiovisual material and online sources.

·· Observation as an active member of the Free & Real educational eco-community since 2017 and a permanent resident for one year (March ‘19 - March ΄20).

·· Interviews, in both casual and organized format with members and new volunteers of the Free & Real project, along with informal group discussions.

·· Observations and conclusions were drawn in the process of interpreting information collected through interaction with the members and the environment of the Free & Real project.

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Another contributing factor in the formation of these observations is my experience as an trainer (non-formal learning) in seminars on natural building and decentralized small-scale renewable energy applications hosted in the premises of Free & Real, but also as a trainer and consultant with Sustainable Energy Youth Network - (SEYN), in groups of young people aiming at the development of decentralized renewable energy systems with the goal of empowering local communities in areas of South and Southeast Asia.

Structure To better understand the issue, but also the possible solutions and course of action, the first chapter comprises an exploration of some of the approaches that emerged in response to the current environmental crisis, and aim towards social and environmental wellbeing. This chapter also seeks to identify how the above approaches can contribute to the field of architecture.

The second chapter presents an analysis of methods of thinking, analysing and collecting information, as well as design tools aimed at better understanding the existing interrelations, identifying possible intervention points for a better approach of the desired outcomes, and recognizing the effect of those in the wider social and environmental context.

The third chapter presents an example in which the aforementioned principles and tools are applied in the design process of a School of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency in the island of northern Evia. This process results in the design objectives and guiding principles that can be applied in the next stages of the design process.

The concluding chapter, highlights the potential of design outputs and the suggested approach to the design process, to function as a means of developing a positive impact, as well as the role of the desired impact in the development of design decisions and the parameters for evaluating resulting outcomes.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

Chapter 1: Approaches and principles.

Guiding principles for architectural design.

Chapter 2: Tools for analysis, understanding and design.

Analysis, thinking and design process.

Chapter 3: Application: Designing a school of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency.

Chapter 4: Conclusions

Presentation of the design process as it is applied on a case study.

The role of the design process in the development of a positive impact; design decisions and parameters for evaluating outcomes.

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Chapter 1: Approaches and principles.

This chapter explores the approaches that target environmental and social well-being as their primary objectives.

It aims to identify the guiding principles that can contribute to a similar approach in architectural design.

1.1 Sustainability The current concept of sustainability emerged in the late 20th-century and is aligned with the scientific documentation of climate change, the rise of the environmental movements in the 1960s and 1970s, and the critique of the Western economic and developmental paradigm.1 Today, in view of the environmental and social issues we are called upon to address, sustainability can be defined as the set of processes and actions through which we avoid the depletion of natural resources and the environment, and ensure the quality of life for the present and future generations.

«Sustainability is defined as a requirement of our generation to manage the resource base such as the average quality of life that we ensure ourwselves can potentially be shared by all future generations.»2 Sustainability is represented through three interrelated pillars: environment, economy and society. Ofter subcategories of these appear, such as culture, technology and politics.

This approach indicates that in order to ensure the viability of a solution, design or action, we need to address all three of these pillars.

1.1.a Sustainable Development

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Sustainable development addresses the organization of society so that it can exist in the long term.4 It is a process of change in which both current and future needs are taken into account.

Therefore, its main goals are environmental protection, preservation of natural resources, and social and economic equality, while the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional changes are shifted accordingly.

Sustainable development is aligned with the concept of social progress, an excamle of which are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) presented by the United Nations in their “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development“5 and where adopted by all Member States in 2015.

1. Purvis, B., Mao, Y. & Robinson, D., Three pillars of sustainability: in search of conceptual origins, Sustain Sci 14, 2019, p.681–695.

2. Geir B. Asheim, «Sustainability,» The World Bank, 1994.

3. The term sustainable development was officially defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987.

4. World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1897, p. 27.

5. UN General Assembly, Transforming our world : the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2015.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

The direct link between the built environment and social well-being becomes especially evident under SDGs objective 11: Sustainable cities and communities, which includes accessible and affordable housing for all, sustainable urbanisation, the implementation of participatory and democratic processes; reduction of the negative environmental impact of cities and the improvement of air quality, waste management as well as creating accessible green and public spaces.6

1.1.b Sustainable Design In view of the EXPO 2000 in Hanover, Germany, William McDonough and Michael Braungart presented the “Hannover Principles“7 with the aim of providing a guiding platform for designers looking to move towards a sustainable direction. According to them:

«Sustainable design is the conception and realization of environmentally sensitive and responsible expression as a part of the evolving matrix of nature.»

6. United Nations Regional Information Center (UNRIC) , ΣΤΟΧΟΣ 11 – Βιώσιμες Πόλεις και Κοινότητες, https://unric.org/el/στοχοσ-11-βιωσιμεσ-πολεισ-καικοινοτητ/ accessed 3 May 2020).

7. William McDonough & Partners, The Hannover Principles – Design for Sustainability. William McDonough Architects, 1992.

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These principles are: 1. Co-existance of nature and humanity.

2. Recognition of interdependence.

3. Respect of relationships between spirit and matter.

4. Acceptance of the responsibility for the consequences of design.

5. Creation of objects of long-term value.

6. Elimination of the concept of waste.

7. Reliance on natural energy flows.

8. Understanding of the limitations of design.

9. Sharing of knowledge for constant improvement.

William McDonough and Michael Braungart recognize the importance of design decisions and their short-term and long-term consequences on humans and the environment. Designers are called upon to recognize their human and imperfect nature, and turn to nature as an example, but also to open channels of communication with other professionals and users in order to create long-term responsible links between nature and human activities.

In his book “The philosophy of sustainable design: the future of architecture”8 Jason F. McLennan also outlined a set of guidelines for sustainable design: 1. Learning from natural systems (Principle of biomimetics) Nature is considered a mentor and model for our designs. All our successful innovations can be traced back to nature itself.

2. Respect for energy and natural resources (Conservation principle) All our natural resources are finite and therefore have a fundamental value in their natural state.

3. Respect for people (Principle of human vitality) A healthy environment for humans, allowing nature to provide for our own and other species.

4. Respect for the place (Principle of the ecosystem) Sustainable design honours the differences between places.

5. Respect for the future (“The beginning of the seven generations”) In nature, waste is food for other organisms. Respecting the natural cycle of life, sustainable design involves the elimination of toxic things where possible. There should also be an appropriate matching of the life expectancy of an object or building with its use.

6. Systems Thinking (Holistic Principle)

8. McLennan, Jason F., The philosophy of sustainable design: the future of architecture, Kansas City, Mo.:Ectone, 2004.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

It is not possible to build for a sustainable future using the same processes that created the problem. If we want to change the result we have to change the process that led us to it.

1.1.c Criteria and evaluation In an effort to make the sustainability factor of a project more accessible, various evaluation methodologies and standards have been developed to help designers evaluate the performance of a project. One of them is the sustainability matrix, originally developed by architect Malcolm Wells.

It is important to note that this approach, although it includes important criteria, it lacks in its linear structure.

Sustainability is a concept based on interconnectedness and interdependence between different sectors and its successful implementation lies in understanding how they support and influence each other.

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1.2 Ecological Design At the heart of ecological design is the observation that for four billion years nature has provided a record of design strategies that have enabled life and evolution on this planet. All we have to do is turn to those.

Environmentalist David W. Orr refers to ecological design as: “The careful meshing of human purposes with the larger patterns and flows of the natural world and the study of those in order to inform human actions.”9 In essence, it is a form of design that minimizes environmentaly destructive impacts by intergrating itself with living processes.10 It is an idea that combines science and the practical arts with ethics, politics and economics.11 At the beginning of the 21st century, Sim Van der Ryn, Stuart Cowan12 and Art Ludwig13 presented some guidelines for ecological design where particular importance is drawn on the following: 1. Interdependence between solutions, place and the users.

An important characteristic of ecological design is the absence of universal solutions. Every effective solution must be based on existing approaches, knowledge of local conditions and users’ interaction with the design process.

2. Economy and efficiency.

In order to improve the environmental impact, it is necessary to fully and carefully record the environmental costs (depletion of resources, pollutants, destruction of the immediate environment), and seek the most efficient use of resources and the use of the inherently simplest solution and its best implementation.

3. Nature as an example.

In nature we can identify patterns and processes, as well as systems that are in constant dynamic balance with the whole; those can help us reduce the ecological impact. The presence of natural cycles and processes in design gives life to the built environment and informs us about our place in nature.

4. Everyone as a participant and a designer.

The dual role of man as a designer and participant is of particular importance and value, offering specialized knowledge which allows the best solutions to emerge through the different processes and communication patterns.

5. Transcending the market culture.

The influence of a society’s culture on the formation of the prevailing desires and tendencies is recognized, along with the influence of market forces on the formation of our way of life. A lifestyle designed for a better life would be very different from one designed for maximum profit.

9. Orr, David W. Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment and the Human Prospect, Island Press, 2004, p.104.

10. Van der Ryn ,S., Cowan, S., Ecological Design, Island Press, 1996, p.18.

11. Orr, David W. The Nature of Design, Ecology Culture and Human Intention, Oxford University Press, 2002, p.15.

12. Van der Ryn ,S., Cowan, S., Ecological Design, Island Press, 1996, p.18.

13. Art, Ludwig, Principles of Ecological Design Integrating Technology, Economics, and Ecology, Oasis Design, 2002.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

“Ecological design, however, is not so much about how to make things as about how to make things that fit gracefully over long periods of time in a particular ecological, social and cultural context. »14 In his book “The nature of design” David Orr claims that in order to shift towards ecological design, a change in the way of thinking is needed in order to ask the following questions during the design process:

·· Is it useful? ·· Is it ethical? ·· What impact does it have on the community? ·· Is it safe to make and use? ·· Is it fair? ·· Can it be repaired or reused? ·· What is the full cost over its expected lifetime? ·· Is there a better way of doing it?

1.3 Permaculture Permaculture15 is a set of principles that conciously mimic natural systems in terms of their diversity, stability, and resilience in harmony with human activity, while providing for their material and nonmaterial needs in a sustaiable way.16 In the roots of its design pronciples lay the basic ethics, which stem from the study of the natural world, the pre-industrial societies and the scientific field of ecology:17,18

·· Care for the earth. ·· Care for the people. ·· Fair share.

14. Orr, David W. The Nature of Design, Ecology Culture and Human Intention, Oxford University Press, 2002, p.38.

15. Founded in Australia in 1970 by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison. Initially meaning permanent agriculture, they soon recognised the role of the social aspect as an integral part of a sustainable future.

16. Permaculturenews, https://www.permaculturenews.org/what-is-permaculture/ , (accessed 15 May 2020).

17. Holmgren , David, “The Essence of Permaculture”, permaculture principles.com, 2013.

18. Holmgren , David, Permaculture: Principles & Pathways beyond sustainability, Holmgren Design Services, 2002.

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1.3.a Permaculture Design Principles 1. Observation and interaction as tools to inform design.

2. Renewable sources, energy storage and minimizing consumption demand.

Sources of energy are the sun, the wind, water runoff and organic matter created through a variety of activities.

Energy storages are the fertile soil, perennial vegetation systems that nourish other valuable resources, lakes, reservoirs, and passive solar buildings.

3. Design of systems for autonomy at all levels.

Flexibility and creativity are of great importance.

4. Self-regualtion and use of feedback systems.

With a better understanding of the way positive and negative feedback loops work in nature, we can design self-regulating systems, increasing their resilience.

5. Elimination of waste.

Seeking ways to minimize pollution and waste by designing systems that make use of all the outputs.

The first principles look at systems from top to bottom. The next six principles focus on the bottom-up viewing of the systems’ elements and their interconnections.

6. Design from patterns to details.

The recognition of patterns is the result of observation and it allows us to first understand and then apply that model from one context to the design of another.

7. Integrate rather that segregate.

The connections between things are as important as the things themselves. The purpose of a reforming system is to position its components in a way that serves the needs and uses the products of other components. The ability of the designer to create highly integrated systems depends on a wider understanding of the variety of relationships that characterize ecological and social groups.

8. Application of small and slow solutions.

Systems should be designed to perform their function in the smallest possible scale that is practical and efficient for that certain function. Human scale and productive capacity should be the comparison measure for a person, a democracy and a sustainable society.

9. Use and value diversity.

The great variety in forms, functions and interactions in nature and in humanity is the source of the evolving complexity of systems. Diversity must be seen as a result of the balance in nature between diversity and potential on the one hand, and productivity and power on the other.

10.

Use the boundaries and value the marginal.

From the margins of any system or medium, the most interesting events happen. Design that sees boundaries as an opportunity rather than a problem is more likely to be successful and adaptable. The obvious and the popular are not necessarily the most important or the most influential.

11.

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Creative design and response to change.

Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

This principle has two meanings, the design that uses change in a purposeful and collaborative way, and the creative response and adaptation to large scale changes that are beyond our control or influence.

In the field of construction, a number of practices are proposed in order to improve living and minimize long-term effects.

These are:

·· Passive solar design ·· Earth-sheltered construction ·· Natural building materials ·· Natural disaster-resistant construction ·· Water collection and waste reuse ·· Biotecture ·· Use of natural patterns Other practices also include :

·· Use of open-source technology as a collaborative tool for sharing knowledge and conducting research. ·· Reuse and creative recycling, decentralized and contextualized reuse of materials. ·· Transition engineering, maintenance, retrofitting and redesign of infrastructure in the local area.

Nowadays, Permaculture is more than the sum of the principles it represents. It is also a network of teams and individuals that apply and share these practices in many different places around the world, mostly on a local level through self-organised actions.

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1.4 Circular Economy and Design Since the industrial revolution, people have developed their ability to mass-produce and consume.

A pattern that has resulted in the massive resource depletion and waste output.19,20

1.4.a Circular Economy In contrast with the current linear system in which we extract resources from the ground in order to produce a product we use, which when no longer useful is discarded, a take-makewaste system; circular economy advocates the transition from a model in which each product unavoidably reaches the end of its life, to a system in which we take-make-reuse, thus, increasing the ability to reuse a product or its materials whilst minimizing their devaluation.

When materials are no longer useful they return back to a useful cycle.

19. UN Environment programme, https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/worldwide-extraction-materials-triples-four-decadesintensifying ,accessed 23 May 2020).

20. In numbers: According to a report by the United Nations Environment Program, the amount of raw materials (fossil fuels, metals, etc.) exported from the earth has tripled in the last 4 decades (from 22 billion tons in 1970 to 70 billion in 2010). If the current growth rate of production demand continues, by 2050 we will require the export of 180 billion tons of raw materials to meet demand, further contributing to the depletion of natural resources, but also to the strengthening of climate change, air pollution loss of biodiversity.

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Designing tools towards a positive environmental and social impact of architecture.

Circular economy can be better understood by examining the natural ecosystems which function optimally as each of their elements is part of the whole. The products are designed to fit into material cycles, so that they circulate in a way that retains their added value as much as possible while the residual waste is close to zero.21 It is based on the following principles:22 1. Eliminate waste and pollution.

Waste and pollution are considered to be consequences of decisions made during the design stage, by treating them as a design defect, and along with the use of new materials and technologies, we can ensure that they are not created in the first place.

2. Circulate products and materials (at their highest value).

In order to avoid wasting resources, products and materials must be kept in economy. This can be made possible by designing products that can be reused, repaired and rebuilt.

3. Regenerative nature.

In nature there are no waste. Everything is food for something else, a leaf that falls from a tree feeds the forest.

By returning valuable nutrients to the soil and other ecosystems, we can reinforce our natural resources.

Design is at the core of circular economy.

This diagram can be used as a tool in the design process in order to identify possible solutions.

In circular systems, feedback is a process of great importance as the goal is to maintain the flows of energy, materials and information and return them to the field for their use and the reconstruction and restoration of systems. The smaller the loop, the greater the value of the item as it needs less additional energy and resources.

21. Directorate-General for Environment, Η κυκλική οικονομία: Συνδέοντας, δημιουργώντας και διατηρώντας την αξία, ΕU publications, European Commission, 2014.

22. Ellen Macarthur Foundation, https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/what-is-the-circular-economy ,(accessed 23 May 2020).

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1.4.b Circular Design Until recently, the circular economy has not been a focus for architects and designers due to factors such as time planning, budget constraints and lack of collaboration between different sectors in the construction process. However, the circular economy is becoming increasingly relevant and sheds light on the potential for its application in decision-making and design processes.23 The Dutch Association of Architectural Firms (BNA) published a manifesto in 2018 entitled «We Are Going Circular»24 in which they presented five circular principles that can be applied to architectural design and practice.

1. A circular business model is the starting point for circular architecture A different approach to the residual value of a product leads directly to a different revenue model. To achieve this, teamwork and collaborations are very important. Interdisciplinary thinking ensures diversity, which brings adaptability. A cyclical model involves long-term commitment to what architects do, turning them into returning “ circular “ architects.

2. Nature is a source of inspiration and a key example of circularity Biological systems offer solutions that are by default circular and holistic. Nature’s optimized structures, processes and functions allow us to develop innovative design solutions through which maximum outcome can be achieved with minimum effort and materials.

3. Flexible and adaptable structures In design, we account for the entire life cycle of a building. This is the reason we do not only design for the first user but also with the next users in mind. This requires adaptive design that can respond to multiple functions and different occupants.

4. Building and components that are easy to (dis)assemble and construct Approaching the structure as a temporary composition of parts and materials that retain their value at the end of their life cycle. Design of the main load-bearing structure in a way that ensures the stability of the structure during demolition or disassembly in order to protect people and nature. Encouraging suppliers to adapt their products and components to allow for optimal reuse.

5. High-quality, non-toxic and easily reusable construction materials It is important to understand the composition of the materials that make up building components because materials have an essential role in the circular economy. As designers, we can actively contribute to minimising waste by using materials that are made from environmentally friendly and safe components. We prefer materials with a long lifespan. Keeping good records of the materials used allows us to use a structure as a “raw material bank”.

In circular design, solutions are directly linked to the scale at hand. Buildings can in some cases be treated as individual entities (flows, waste, water, energy) but this is not always the optimal solution, particularly in urban and community environments.

23. Directorate-General for Environment, Η κυκλική οικονομία: Συνδέοντας, δημιουργώντας και διατηρώντας την αξία, ΕU publications, European Commission, 2014.

24. BNA, We Are Going Circular, 2018, https://www.bna.nl/programmas/duurzame-ontwikkeling/wij-gaan-circulair/manifest-circulaire-architectuur/ , (accessed 10 May 2020).

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1.4.c Life Cycle Assessment The term life cycle refers to the idea that a fair, holistic assessment requires an evaluation of the production, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal of raw materials, including all intermediate transport stages necessary or caused by the existence of the product Life cycle assessment (LCA)25 is a tool used to calculate and assess the overall environmental impacts associated with a particular product or service.26 The results can contribute to the identification of opportunities for improvement and the development of more environmentally friendly options.

It is a systematic process where the system under investigation is defined as a set of functions in one or more stages of the product life cycle. This system is then linked to other systems for supplying and transporting inputs and the removal of outputs.

25. LCA started in the 1960s and was closely linked to improvements in production processes in order to achieve better efficiency and thus higher economic growth. With the rise of the green movements and the emergence of the solid waste management issue in the late 1980s, LCA emerged as a tool for analysing environmental problems.

26. Ciambrone, David F., Environmental Life Cycle Analysis, Lewis publishers, New York, 1997, p. 3-4.

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1.4.d. Life cycle assessment in building design.

The application of LCA to buildings according to European standards for sustainability of construction projects is divided into four stages:2728 1. Product stage Ιncludes processes that precede the delivery of materials on-site, such as raw material supply, transport and construction of building products.

2. The construction stage Includes transport and construction activities on-site, as well as the transport and any further processing, if necessary, of waste produced.

3. Use stage Includes activities required so that the building can maintain its level of functionality, including maintenance, repair, replacement and renovation. It also includes water supply, wastewater treatment and the supply and use of energy.

4. End-of-life stage Includes the deconstruction or demolition of a building, the transportation of materials and the processes required for recycling or disposal. According to the above approaches, the design stage is crucial as decisions taken during the design process have a direct impact on the operation of the final product.

27. Dowdell, D., Berg, Brian B., Study Report SR349 [2016] New Zealand whole-building whole-of-life framework: An overview, 2016.

28. Gervasio, H. and Dimova, S., Model for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings, EUR 29123 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, 2018.

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1.5. Conclusions: Guiding principles for architectural design.

In Architecture, the way we approach the design process and through the priorities and criteria we set as guiding axes can lead us to decisions that favour the harmonious living of man in the given social and environmental context.

According to this chapter, points of particular importance that could form the foundations of design principles in architectural design are the following:

Interaction The study of the interactions between humans, the built and the natural environment can be a tool that can inform design in favour of environmental and social benefits. This approach also highlights the direct relationship between the design solution and the site and users in question.

Recognising the diversity and variation of form, function and interactions contributes towards balancing and designing optimal solutions.

Responsibility - The consequences of design Like our actions, design decisions have an impact on the present and the future. Acknowledging responsibility and recognizing the influence of design on impending conditions is an important step that informs the position and role of the designer.

Method - Approach In order to see a change in design outcomes, we need a new approach to the design process which is also consistent with a change in thinking. Of particular importance is the recognition and understanding of the boundaries and edges of the field we are trying to first understand and then intervene on. A sustainable approach to design requires flexibility and adaptability as well as creative management capable of responding to change.

Partnerships aimed at ensuring diversity can reinforce adaptability, while the involvement of the future users in the process can encourage the response of design to current needs in an optimal way, ensuring in part the longevity of the intervention.

Society The broader objective of sustainable planning includes social well-being, safety and accessibility.

While respecting people, the planning process must recognise the need for understanding, and the direct link between solution, place and culture in the specific social context. It also recognises the dual role of the human being as both designer and participant, and the importance of communication between the two.

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Relationship with Nature Nature is a mentor and source of information for the design of systems that are in constant balance with the whole. It is an example of design in which we can identify patterns, models, processes and feedback paths to create evolving systems. By treating the natural environment and natural processes as an example of circularity, we can identify structures, processes and functions that allow us to develop innovative design solutions that achieve maximum results with minimum effort and materials.

Resources & Materials Inspired by natural processes, rethinking the concept of waste and its elimination can become a design criterion, as can the utilization and collection of natural energy flows, saving and efficient use of resources and minimizing consumption requirements.

Taking into account the finite nature of resources and the environmental impact of production processes, design should also aim to reuse and maintain products and materials in use through processes that include creative recycling of materials and design of durable and adaptable manufacturing systems.

In acknowledging that human activity leaves a corresponding footprint on the natural environment, it is also important to recognise the importance of actions that aim to replenish and restore natural systems.

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Chapter 2: Analysis, understanding and design tools

This chapter presents an analysis of thinking and information collection methods, along with design tools aiming at a better understanding of existing interrelations and the identification of potential intervention points for an optimal approach towards the desired outcome.

2.1 Systems Thinking As mentioned in the previous chapter, understanding and studying the interaction and interdependence between the individual, society and elements of the natural and built environment can be an important tool for informing the design process.

By studying these relations, we can identify with greater ease how interventions in parts of the system will affect the function of the whole.

However, to approach the issue at hand in this way, a common understanding of what consists a system is necessary.

2.1.a System It is a complex and unified whole. Its parts are interconnected, interacting and interdependent in some way.29 A system is both dynamic (constantly changing) and evolving (emergent properties). It consists of elements, agencies, actors, nodes, or parts, and has boundaries.

Systems are defined by their interrelationships and their functionality or potential.30 Defining characteristics of a system:

·· The purpose of each system, which makes it a distinct entity. It is a property of the system as a whole, not of any of the parts.

·· All elements must be present for a system to function optimally. If removing parts from the system does not affect its operation, then we have a collection of elements and not a system.

·· The order in which the parts are arranged affects the performance of a system. ·· Systems try to maintain stability through feedback. Feedback is the transmission and return of information, and its most important feature is that it informs the system of its operation in relation to some desired state.

29. Kim ,Daniel H., An introduction to systems thinking, Pegasus Communications, 1999.

30. Acaroglu, Leyla, Tools for Systems Thinkers: Getting into Systems Dynamics… and Bathtubs, https://medium.com/disruptive-design/tools-for-systemsthinkers-getting-into-systems-dynamics-and-bathtubs-1f961f7c4073, 2017,(accessed 10 May 2020).

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2.1.b. Understanding a system The key to understanding any system is to know its purpose, either as a separate entity or in relation to a larger system in which it belongs.

In artificial systems, the intended purpose is usually clear and obvious, at least in the begining.

Natural and social systems, however, present greater difficulty in understanding them, because we can never know for certain what their purpose or design is.

As a result of this inability, we tend to intervene without truly understanding the impact of our actions on the system in the broader space and time.

Whenever we do this, we risk causing a breakdown of the system.

Key steps to understanding a system: 1. Defining

a boundary so that we frame the object of investigation and clarify what we are or are not looking at. What is happening?

2. Once we have defined the system through its

boundaries, we can move to smaller parts of the system where we look for its non-obvious parts.

3. Introducing

questions or thoughts that feed the inquiry. (The submerged parts of the iceberg.) How/why does it happen?

4. Shifting

scales (small to massive) to switch perspectives and create a “three-dimensional picture”. Diverse understanding of the phenomena we are trying to understand, by stepping outside of our own restrictive thinking.

5. What are the feedbacks within a system? How do I know if it’s working?

To see reality from the perspective of systems we need to understand how they behave, using systems thinking terms and tools so that we can effectively communicate our understanding of that behaviour.

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Thinking in Systems What makes systems thinking applicable to real-world problem solving is the ability to define a boundary. In reality, everything is interconnected, but fortunately everything can also be defined by a function, purpose or potential.

Small pieces come together to make wholes, which then come together to make bigger wholes.

PARTS - WHOLES- RELATIONSHIPS

2.1.c. Systems thinking Systems thinking is a way of looking at, and talking about reality that helps us to understand and work with systems to improve the quality of our lives. It is a language for describing systemic behaviour that offers a set of tools-techniques for meaningfully representing and communicating about systems.

It expands the range of interventions available to solve a problem by broadening our thinking and helping us to formulate problems in new and different ways.

At the same time, the principles of systems thinking inform us that there are no perfect solutions.

Our choices will have an impact on other parts of the system. By anticipating the impact of any intervention, we can minimise its severity or even use it to our advantage. Systems thinking allows us to make informed choices.

The essence of the field of systems thinking lies in a change in thinking:

·· Seeing interactions rather than linear chains of cause and effect ·· Seeing processes of change rather than snapshots.

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2.1.d. Linear versus circular Through a linear approach, we tend to see the world as a series of events that flow one after another. Although this view may be a technically accurate way of describing what happened when, it provides very little information about how it happened and why.

In contrast to the linear view of the world and the relation of cause and effect, looking at a system through feedback loops, we see it as an interconnected set of circular relationships where something affects something else and is then also affected in turn.

31. Senge, P., The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, New York: Doubleday/Currency, 1990.

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2.1.e. Systemic structures Systemic structures produce patterns and events.

Because we notice events much more easily than we notice patterns and systemic structures, we often allow them to dictate our decisions even though they are the result of the deeper patterns and structures of the system.

2.1.f. Levels of perspective By working within the “levels of perspective”, we can move beyond responding only to events and shift to more powerful actions. In other words, we can begin to move from working within the system to working on it. In this way we are in a position to influence its function. In doing so, we become better systems designers as we move away from the role of the user.

Each level of perspective offers a distinct model of action. Understanding these will help us identify when it is time to generate systems that will create the kinds of events and the future we want.

Level of Perspective - Action

·· Events - Reactive ·· Patterns - Adaptive ·· Systemic Structures - Creative ·· Mental models - Reflective ·· Vision - Generative The ability to influence the future and radically improve system performance while reducing undesirable consequences increases as we move from the level of events to that of vision.

Therefore, our actions at higher levels have a greater impact on future results. However, this does not mean that actions with more power are only at higher levels as the concept of power, in this case, is relative and not absolute.

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“When studied in the same system, people, no matter how different, tend to produce similar results. Seeing through systems informs us that we need to look beyond individual errors or bad luck to understand important problems. We need to look beyond personalities and events. We need to study the underlying structures that shape individual actions and create the conditions where certain events become possible.”32

2.1.g. Systems Thinking Tools In systems thinking, certain fundamental concepts are used in order to identify different sets of actions.33

·· Interconnectedness

The fundamental principle for shifting from a linear to a circular mindset is that everything is interconnected.

Everything is dependent on something else. An understanding of interconnectedness is essential in order to work within the complexity of our world.

We use observation to understand the behaviour of these elements and how they affect the other elements (causality).

·· Synthesis

Refers to combining two or more things to create a new one. Since all systems are dynamic and often complex, synthesis is about understanding the whole and the parts simultaneously along with the relationships and connections that lead to the dynamics of the whole.

Synthesis is the ability to see interconnection.

·· Emergence

Because of synthesis, larger things emerge from smaller parts, emergence is the natural result of elements interacting.

·· Feedback loops

Because of interconnectedness, there are constant feedback loops between the elements of the system. We can observe, understand and intervene in them once we understand their character and how they generate the behaviours we want to change.

There are two main types of feedback loops related to different feedback and it is the combination of these that creates the variety of dynamic behaviour in the systems we see around us.

·· Reinforcing feedback loops (destabilizers) - the game changers

Reinforcing processes arise through positive feedback. This is done through information that pushes change in one direction with even greater change in the same direction. (successive changes reinforce previous changes and maintain change in the same direction). When reinforcing processes produce behaviour we do not want, they are called “vicious cycles”.

·· Balancing feedback loops (stabilizers)

Balancing feedback loops are where the elements within a system balance states as they continually try to maintain a system at some desired level of performance. They resist change in one direction by producing change in the opposite direction. There is always an inherent goal in the balancing process, and what drives

32. Kauffman, Draper Jr, Systems One: An Introductions to Systems Thinking, Future Systems.inc, 1980.

33. Acaroglu, Leyla, Tools for Systems Thinkers: The 6 Fundamental Concepts of Systems Thinking, https://medium.com/disruptive-design/tools-for-systemsthinkers-the-6-fundamental-concepts-of-systems-thinking-379cdac3dc6a, (accessed 1 May 2020).

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a balancing loop is the gap between the goal (desired level) and the actual level. The system takes corrective actions to adjust the actual level until this gap is reduced.

“From a systems perspective, the human factor is part of the feedback process, not separate from it. This represents a profound change in our understanding of reality as it allows us to see how we are constantly influenced by it.”34 While the effect of reinforcing loops destabilizes systems, balancing loops generally stabilize or pursue goals. Balancing systems are not as visible because they work quietly to keep things as they are.

In a diagram, the number of elements in a loop must be determined by the needs of the story and the people using the diagram. In some cases, there are external elements that don’t change, change too slowly, or whose changes are not relevant to the problem being addressed.

Often, people have different perceptions of a situation, which can strongly affect the situation itself. The best way to manage these balancing loops is when they are visible and relationships are explicit.

·· Causality

How one thing leads to another. In systems thinking, it refers to the ability to decipher how things affect each other in a system. It is important when the goal is to develop actions.

34. Kauffman, Draper Jr, Systems One: An Introductions to Systems Thinking, Future Systems.inc, 1980.

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2.1.h. Systems Mapping

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We identify and map elements of a system in order to understand how they interconnect and act in a complex system.

Two of the most useful maps in the initial stage of studying a system are cluster maps and interconnected cycle maps.

From there, ideas and discoveries can be used to develop interventions and changes that will change the system in the most effective way.

·· Cluster maps or “Brain Dump” (the exploration) The beginning of exploring a complex problem.

A topic, question or field is presented in the middle of a canvas and then all related elements within a system are added. The important stage in this map is drawing the connections and relationships between them.

All the non-obvious parts are explored to develop a more complex picture of the system being explored. Key areas of interconnectivity and different perspectives that have emerged are identified.

Acceptance of chaos - relationships are messy

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·· Interconnected Circles Maps They help to identify the root of the casual relationships of a problem area and define the area of intervention.

It is a map that allows for deep exploration of cause and effect relationships in system dynamics. Here, parts of the whole and the relationships between them are examined. The connection between the main flows in the system that enable emergence is highlighted.

It is a map that can be applied to a refined area identified through the cluster map to identify different parts of the problem and find unique areas for developing interventions and achieving clarity in complexity.36

Through systems thinking, the need for a change in thinking, and a new approach of the design process, becomes even more apparent. This observation agrees with the conclusions of the first chapter.

According to chapter one, the user should be at the core of the design solution, and the goal of the solutions offered should be to address the human needs at hand.

36. Acaroglu, Leyla, Tools for Systems Thinkers: Systems Mapping, https://medium.com/disruptive-design/tools-for-systems-thinkers-systems-mapping2db5cf30ab3a Thesis Research Project

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2.2 Design Thinking A human-centred approach is necessary to solve technical problems in ways that acknowledges the human element and meets human needs.

2.2.a. Design The term design is often ambiguous as it is used by different disciplines where specific and carry different meanings are often attached to it. As a creative process, design focuses on problemsolving or innovation by designing for people and focusing on their needs.37 Many forms of design deal with specific yet vague ideas. They require both systematic and chaotic thinking and need both imagination and mechanical calculations.

However, a group of design fields lie in the middle of the design spectrum. Architecture is one of the most centrally located fields in this spectrum, along with other 3D and environmental design fields. In most cases, design in these fields requires considerable technical knowledge and expertise as well as imaginative design.

Designers in these fields create objects or places that can make a significant impact on the quality of life of many people.38

2.2.b Design Problems One of the characteristics of design problems is that they are often not apparent but must be identified. Neither goal nor obstacle is clearly expressed. Problems are often multidimensional and highly interactive. Thus, very rarely does any part of a design serve only one purpose.39

2.2.c Design Thinking The need for an informed understanding of users has led many researchers, designers and authors to Design Thinking.

Design Thinking has three main characteristics; “human-centred”, “collaborative” and “participatory” and is driven by experimentation.40 It is a design methodology in which the approach is based on solving problems and complex situations by understanding the human needs involved and reframing the problem in a human37. Notes from presentation, Design thinking (An Introduction), Anne Schiffer, 2019.

38. Lawson , B., How designers think. The design process demystified – Fourth edition, Architectural Press, 2005.

39. Ibid.

40. Video: Tim Brown Urges designers to think, TED global, 2009, http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_urges_designers_to_think_big 34

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centred way.41 Design thinking refers to the cognitive, strategic and practical processes by which design proposals are developed42, it is inherently optimistic, constructive and experiential; it involves developing a deep understanding of the unmet needs of users in the context of a particular situation.

This is accomplished through understanding data and discovering information, questioning assumptions, exploring new perspectives, reframing problems into opportunities, generating new ideas, experimenting and prototyping.

It allows high-impact solutions to emerge from the bottom up. It relies on our ability to be intuitive, recognize patterns, create ideas that have emotional and functional meaning, and express ourselves through means other than words or symbols. It is through exploring new possibilities that we create new options and solutions.43,44 Design Thinking is particularly useful for dealing with obscure problems since an important part of the process involves defining and framing the problem.

As a methodology, design thinking combines empathy, creativity in generating ideas and solutions, rationality and feedback for analysis and adaptation of solutions to the context.45 It harnesses skills that we all have, but which are overlooked by conventional problem-solving practices.

It is not only human-centred but also fully human.46 “The human needs we are trying to address have been with us for millennia. There have been many successful solutions in the past, and because technology and social conditions are constantly changing, it is important to understand how these needs have been addressed in the past to better appreciate the social and technical conditions we will encounter”47 The goal of Design Thinking is to provide products and services that will improve human lives.

This extends beyond the fulfilment of basic needs, as once those are satisfied, as is the case for most people in Western societies, people tend to seek meaningful and emotionally satisfying experiences that usually involve active participation rather than passive consumption.48

2.2.d Analytical versus Design Thinking 41. Naiman, L., Design thinking as a strategy for innovation, https://www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation, (accessed 3 April 2020).

42. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_thinking , (accessed 1 April 2020).

43. Brown, T., Wyatt, J., Design thinking for social innovation, Essentials of Social Innovation, 2010, https://ssir.org/articles/entry/design_thinking_for_social_ innovation, (accessed April 2020).

44. Brown, T., The Making of a design thinker, Άρθρο, 2009, https://www.metropolismag.com/ideas/the-making-of-a-design-thinker/, (accessed 7 April 2020).

45. Walsoszek, G., Introduction to design thinking, Article, https://experience.sap.com/skillup/introduction-to-design-thinking/ (accessed April 2020).

46. Brown, T., & Kātz, B., Change by design: How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation, New York: Harper Business, 2009.

47. Plattner, H., Meinel, C., Leifer, L., Design thinking: understand, improve, apply, Springer, 2011.

48. Brown, T., & Kātz, B., Change by design: How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation, New York: Harper Business, 2009.

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Unlike analytical thinking, which is based on analysis and data, design thinking is a synthesis of both analysis (analyzing ideas) and intuitive insight to create new ideas. This approach is at the core of the design process. All ideas in Design Thinking originate from the understanding of the user.

2.2.e The Process Design thinking as a process is best understood as a system of overlapping spaces rather than a simple sequence of steps. There are three spaces to consider: inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Inspiration as an opportunity that motivates the search for solutions. Ideation as the process of creating, developing, and testing ideas; and implementation as the pathway leading from the project stage to people’s lives.

The Stanford School of Design’s Design Thinking Bootleg presents a collection of tools and methods that can be used in design thinking. These are assigned to five design thinking modules that are identified as key components of design thinking.49

·· Empathise Empathy is the foundation of human-centred design. The problems to be solved are those of particular users.

We develop empathy for users by learning their values through:

·· Observation: We look at users and their behaviour in everyday life, looking not only at the usual and the majority but also at extreme behaviours as this is where new revelations are likely to be discovered.

·· Engagement: Interviewing and interacting with users to uncover information and reveal deeper insight. ·· Immersion: We experience what the users experience in specific environments to directly understand who we are designing for.

Recognizing the drivers of human behaviour, uncovering known or unknown needs and leveraging insights to design innovative solutions.

Developing empathy is the first stage of the process that aims to understand the problem to be solved by 49. d.schoold Bootleg 2018 deck, Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, 2018.

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understanding the users’ experiences and motivations. All this allows designers to leave behind their own assumptions about the world.

It is important to be in touch with the world and observe real experiences and people as they improvise in their daily life. Their behaviours can give us valuable insights into the range of their unmet needs.

·· Define In this section, a clear formulation of the problem to be addressed is made by collecting and analysing the information and observations gathered in the previous stage.

Of particular importance is the re-framing of the challenge using knowledge gained through the previous processes. This new point of view or problem statement is a unique vision based on the specific users. It can then be used as a framework for gathering ideas and possible solutions or to allow users to resolve problems themselves.

It is at this stage that the questions that can lead to the exploration of solutions begin.

·· Ideate Brainstorming involves moving from identifying problems to exploring solutions. The goal of ideation is to explore a wide range of solutions, large in quantity and broad in diversity. Beyond obvious solutions, unexpected areas are uncovered, creating fluency and flexibility (volume and variety) in options. From this repository of ideas, prototypes can be built and tested by users.

When generating ideas, their criticism is avoided as proposals can emerge from the most outlandish ideas.

·· Prototype The transfer of ideas from the mind to the real world. Investigate the problem solutions that emerged through the previous stage through small scale models of the product. A prototype can be anything that has some physical form (slips of paper, activity, object). It serves different purposes beyond testing functionality and in early stages it is used to explore possibilities. Prototypes are most successful when people can experience and interact with them, they are an occasion for new discussions and through them we can gain new knowledge that will deepen our empathy and understanding of the design space towards a better solution.

Prototypes offer a preview of how users will behave, feel and think when they interact with the final product.

·· Test Opportunity for feedback, improvement and further knowledge for users. The test stage is an iterative process in which low-resolution prototypes are placed in the appropriate context of the users’ lives.

The test informs subsequent iterations of the prototypes. Testing can reveal that not only is the solution wrong, but also the problem formulation is wrong.

The results produced by the testing process are used to redefine one or more problems and inform users’ understanding of the conditions of use, how people think, behave and feel.

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2.2.f. Methods There are no rules as to which methods should be used. Some of them are typical of the work of designers, others are closer to those used in user centred design.

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2.2.g The non-linear nature of Design Thinking Although the process is seemingly linear and leads to user testing, in practice it is carried out in a more flexible way and stages overlaping or remaining active throughout the process. The reason these stages are also called spaces, rather than steps, is that they are not always carried out sequentially. Projects may return to the same ‘space’ more than once as the team works through ideas and explores new directions.50,51 The reason for the non-linear nature of design thinking is that it is an exploratory process, which when done well, will always bring unexpected discoveries that can often be incorporated into the active process without interruption.52

2.2.h Convergence and Divergence In Design Thinking, the process consists of repeated stages of divergent and convergent thinking with each subsequent iteration being less broad and more detailed than the previous ones.

Convergent thinking (constraint and decision making) is the practical way of making decisions among existing alternatives. It is what leads us to solutions.

The goal of divergent thinking is to multiply options (opening up a process & creating choices).

These can be different choices between alternative ways of creating interactive experiences. By 50. Video: Tim Brown Urges designers to think, TED global, 2009, http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_urges_designers_to_think_big.

51. Notes from presentation, Design thinking (An Introduction), Anne Schiffer, 2019.

52. Brown, T., & Kātz, B., Change by design: How design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation, New York: Harper Business, 2009.

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testing competing ideas, there is an increased likelihood that the outcome will be bolder, more creative and more engaging. But we also need to recognize that more options means more complexity, which can make things difficult.53

Divergent thinking is the path not the obstacle. In the divergent phase, new options appear. In the convergent phase, it is the other way around, choices are eliminated and decisions are made.

2.2.i User participation in the design thinking process.

Users are involved at different stages of the design process. They engage not only through verbal interactions but by providing significant input and acting as the main feedback mechanism, addressing the core of the process, which is the fulfilment of the users’ needs.

We turn to users for:

·· Empathy: In order to gain a better insight and understanding of user needs and behaviours, we not only observe but engage users through interviews, simple interactions and other activities.

53. Ibid

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·· Prototyping: During this stage we reach out to users for information through their interactions with the designed object or experience in order to gain further understanding of the people and space we are designing for and new feedback on the developed concept.

·· Prototyping and testing: During these stages we test with users in order to refine solutions, decide how to proceed, resolve conflicts about design elements, and evaluate.

Depending on the way the process is implemented, the level and methods, the actions in which users are involved differ and depend on:

·· The issues or areas being explored ·· Characteristics of the social, cultural and environmental factors ·· Need for additional information Users are approached and included in the process as individuals belonging to the targeted group or as a group/community that is being addressed in the design process.

Responsive design that addresses existing needs in a way that is optimally tailored to the user recognises the importance of understanding the relevant conditions and human behaviour, and helps to ensure the longevity of the solution.

2.3. Connecting Systems and Design Thinking.

Through the collaborative use of the thinking and tools offered we can understand, gain further knowledge and act through new informed approaches that recognise and leverage the elements and relationships within the system, acknowledge the value of user participation in the design process as well as the potential for improvement that is presented through feedback and review processes that are enhanced through the collection of new information. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life by meeting the identified needs.

An approach of this kind can allow the emergence of interventions capable of responding and adapting to a dynamic environment..

Systems thinking can help us gain a more holistic view of the world around us and the users for whom we design.

Design thinking is directed towards finding solutions based on the needs of the user. The combination of the two can help the design process to deliver solutions that are sustainable over time.

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2.4. Application of the guiding principles in the design process.

Design thinking through the proposed process and its human-centred approach addresses the design principles that set social well-being, safety and accessibility as an important goal. It also utilises the role of the human being as both designer and participant, utilising this dual nature as a tool for understanding and collecting information, particularly in the stages of Empathy, Prototyping, and Testing.

A point of observation and information can also be the study of the interactions between users and the environment. For the emergence of new ideas and the development of innovative design solutions, structures and functions, we can turn to nature and the examples of processes it provides.

The set of design principles formulated in Chapter 1 can provide the strategic framework through which the design problem can be solved through finding concrete solutions.

These design principles are independent of the solutions as their value remains, while within their frameworks there are opportunities for a multitude of different solutions to emerge.

Design principles can also act as a reinforcing agent in the development and screening processes of design ideas in the ideation and prototyping stages.

During the emergence of ideas, design principles relating to the elimination of waste, the utilisation of natural energy flows and the efficient use of resources can enhance the creative process when applied at the appropriate stage. Here, an exploration can also be made of the potential for feedback or contribution to the restoration of the natural systems in which the planned intervention will be implemented.

During the ideation and prototyping stages, the constraints relating to the design of durable and adaptable systems, the use of materials, their life cycle and creative recycling can also be presented.

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2.5. In Architecture This change in the way we think affects both the way we design and our perception and understanding of the inevitable consequences of our design decisions.

The use of systems and design thinking in architectural design contributes not only to the recognition of the social and environmental context upon which our design proposal is developed, but also of the ways these are interconnected and interdependent.

By identifying elements and processes of the natural environment that will act as a source of inspiration for design on issues of management, conservation, efficient use and restoration of natural flows, we can also identify indicators that inform us of the impact of our actions so that we take action accordingly.

The tools for understanding that focus on processes, interaction relationships, and identification of needs can bring about a better understanding of the social system and patterns of behaviour, elements that the architectural intervention will be called upon to accommodate, encourage or address.

Observation through different perspectives allows for informed choices, while Synthesis and Emergence are important tools of architectural practice and the design of space as a functional whole composed of individual parts whose relationships determine the dynamics of the whole.

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Chapter 3: Application: Designing a school of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency

This chapter presents the application of the guiding principles and design methodology as discussed in the previous chapters, for the development of the tools and guidelines for the architectural design under a specific context.

The example and the following study aims to create a design proposal for a School of Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency on Mount Telaithrion in Northern Evia, which operates under the educational, eco-community of Free and Real.

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A few words about Free and Real.

The Free and Real54 project celebrated 10 years of operation in 2020.

Initially, Free and Real intended to operate as a model eco-community. As it developed and after recognizing the internal lack of important knowledge for achieving self-sufficiency in a sustainable way by the members of the group, as well as the lack of corresponding examples in Greece, the project transformed into a school for exploration and sharing of knowledge and practical skills, which contribute to the existence of a transition model towards a new, consciously more selfsufficient and sustainable way of life.

The School The function of the project as a school is contained in all its activities and its operation on a daily basis. Non-formal experiential learning is the main feature of the way in which the knowledge of the participants is developed in the context of targeted thematic workshops lasting three to ten days or through communication, coexistence, and cooperation in activities related to the daily operation of the project in which visitors can participate throughout the year.

Recognising the potential for continuous development and enrichment of the knowledge of both the people who make up the project and the participants, collaborations were developed with other institutions and projects active in areas such as renewable energy, natural building, natural farming, Permaculture and nutrition. Through these partnerships, seminars and activities are organised in the premises of Free and Real that enhance the sharing of knowledge and the development of the project’s facilities and infrastructure itself. “ We are all learners in a community of learners”

The team The group of people who collaborate and support the project’s activities on a daily basis is characterised by a dynamic structure as it consists of people who offer a variety of skills and whose stay in the project’s premises varies from a few days (visitors and workshop participants), a few months (volunteers) to years (management team).

The way in which they contribute to the development and evolution of the project varies, as do the dynamics of the whole, which partly changes as the individuals involved change.

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The Telaithrion Project: A School of Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency.

“The ‘Telaithrion Project’ hopes to show that a self-sufficient society of true motivation and selfless giving can exist and be put into practice. We want to share all the practical knowledge, information, technologies and ultimately solutions that we will discover, explore and apply on this journey.”55 The physical presence of this model centre for knowledge sharing and experimentation on topics of self-sufficiency is the field of study of this paper.

3.1. Introduction of the process Utilising the design principles and the design process as suggested in the previous chapters, this chapter presents a study that seeks to understand the design issue in its respective social and environmental context of operation, in order to identify the issues to be resolved and to identify the elements that will help to create solutions towards a design proposal.

Specifically, the steps followed are as follows:

·· Analysis, discovery and understanding

In this step the activities that aim at understanding the design issue are presented. These include exploration through historical analysis of the evolution of the project, systemic analysis as well as other methods such as observation, interaction and interviews to understand the users as much as possible.

This process includes interpretation as well as drawing conclusions based on observations.

·· Defining the design challenge

This step attempts to formulate the design question based on findings related to the specific users that emerged through the previous exploration process.

·· Available tools for addressing the design challenge.

At this stage, a set of designing tools to be used as tools for the development of architectural design are presented. To develop these, the guiding principles and methodology for approaching the design issue as presented in Chapters 1 and 2, as well as the findings from the process of discovering and defining the design issue in the relevant social and environmental context, as presented in the previous steps of this chapter, are applied.56

55. Extracted from the project website, https://www.freeandreal.org/thevision/, (accessed 9 March 2020) 56. Note: As mentioned in Chapter 2, the design process is not a linear path of successive steps. In the process of research and documentation, new discoveries often emerge and thus, we return to previous steps which then enrich and feed back into the process.

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3.2. Analysis, discovery and understanding In order to proceed with the design proposal we must first make an effort to understand the design challenge. For this reason we address the future users, their values, needs and study their behaviour in the specific operational and environmental context.

Three methods are used for understanding and gathering information.

·· Mapping, ·· Observation, ·· Interviews.

Through these, the objective is to make observations and draw conclusions for use in the process towards a design solution.

We are mapping the situation dynamically, recording the history and the present in order to address the possible future.

The connection between the past and the future picture is made by relating these to the present and the current situation, so we use the past, accumulated experience and knowledge to build the future based on the needs and objectives of the project.

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3.2.a Mapping the Project School of Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency Objectives:

·· Develop an understanding of the operation and the drivers of the project’s operation. ·· Better understanding of the desired outcome ·· Discovery of possible relationships - connections between elements that will allow the emergence of the project’s objective.

Methods:

·· Presentation of the subject to be investigated and randomised recording of the constituent elements. ·· Adding the connections and relationships between the identified elements. ·· Investigation of the non-obvious areas to develop a better picture of the system under investigation. ·· Defining the key areas of interconnection. ·· Investigating the presence of patterns and different perspectives. ·· Switching perspectives through different user profiles (facilitators, trainers, visitors/participants) Useful questions:

·· What are the characteristics/elements of self-sufficiency and sustainability school? ·· What is the goal of its operation? ·· What are the direct outcomes of its operation? ·· What are the experiences that drive/ reinforce the learning process? ·· What are the feedback loops; what informs us about the functionality of the project?

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Diagram- School Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency To map the operation of theSchool Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency, the cluster diagram is used to explore the complexity of the actions and therefore the activity of the project.

It is observed that the school’s function is not only about presenting the content of the focus areas (natural farming, natural building, energy, wellness and natural nutrition), as this is only a key part in the process of understanding the knowledge and information offered.

The learning process and therefore the role of the project as a school is fulfilled through the interconnected conditions, processes and actions that characterise the spatial configuration and the means that the members of the activities use to carry out the learning process, and the results that the combination and mixing of these bring about.

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Diagram - Feedback - Development of facilities The process of developing the project’s facilities is represented through this balancing loop.

Through this diagram we can identify the importance of the ability to respond to emerging needs for the development of the structures of the project and therefore the development of satisfactory conditions through which the basic and constructive activities take place.

Diagram - Feedback - Objective - Impact One of the most important objectives of the project is illustrated through this reinforcing feedback loop.

Communication and networking between individuals that takes place within the activities of the project, reinforces the ground for the exchange of ideas, the creation of new partnerships and a network of mutual support. This strengthens the conditions for confident steps towards the creation and development of new projects and activities, which is one of the desired goals of the school.

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Diagram - Participant’s learning experience Here, we explore the cluster consisting of characteristic elements that contribute to the learning experience.

Through this diagram, the many elements that contribute to the learning process and participants’ understanding of incoming information become a visible feature. In the context of experiential non-formal learning, exposure to new experiences and stimuli that provoke curiosity, communication and collaboration are important.

The dynamic nature of the process is recognised, and this always brings about new results and allows new discoveries and knowledge to emerge, which may be different for each participating member.

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Diagram - Activities and objectives Taking into account the nature of experiential learning as mentioned previously, this diagram illustrates the path where, starting from the set of thematic activities, a set of competences is developed which in turn contribute to enhancing the wider desired impact.

3.2.b Observation Participation and Observation We observe users, their daily life, activities, environment, the place and space.

Observation is essential in the effort to understand the actions, choices and living and working conditions of the project and its users.

By observing and participating in the actions and daily life of the users we can extract important information and seek the reasons at the background of each observation.

An important prerequisite of this process is the adoption of an attitude that does not criticise through pre-existing prejudices or personal values, as these can stand in the way of the development of real empathy.

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Objectives:

·· Understand the challenges to be addressed ·· Identify patterns that emerge through the actions and interactions between users. ·· Understand user behaviour, choices and needs. ·· Explore the operational and troubleshooting practices used to address emerging issues. ·· Investigate the interactions between users in the specific spatial and functional context.

Method: It is recognised that the observer is not a mere recorder of information as new inputs are subject to internal processing and thus are transformed into personal perception. Therefore, perception and interpretation are a part of human observation.

For this reason, when recording and processing observations, the dual nature of the observer as a participant in the action and the different roles is recognized:

Participant

Visitor

Trainer

Member of the org.team

To facilitate the recording and subsequent study of the observations, the following information entry points are defined:

Space

Activity People

Goal Action

Emotion Interaction

Useful questions:

·· What is the action? ·· How is it done? Why is it done this way? ·· Why is this process/action taking place? What is the purpose of this process? What are the motives? ·· Is it a pleasant or unpleasant experience? ·· Does it require effort from the participants? ·· What are the habits of the users in the space? How are they integrated?

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Findings

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Observations: The stage that follows the recording of observations is the study, interpretation and presentation of points of particular interest as they are identified and presented below.

1. Action as a learning tool.

The process of designing and constructing useful objects and facilities also serve as a learning process, adapted each time to meet the needs of the trainees.

3. Communication, active listening and cooperation.

A fertile ground for creativity, experimentation and a pleasant learning environment. The educational nature of the operation and all the activities of the project is recognised from the beginning.

2. Orientation towards both the result and the process.

The process itself has an intrinsic value for the participants.

The value attached to the end result, through functionality and utility, is extended in time through present and future users.

4. High social activity.

The project is a space for expression and exchange of ideas, which makes it a meeting place for many new and regular visitors.

At the same time, however, this characteristic can be a cause of constant overstimulation for other people. As a result, the space displays the creation of various levels - zones of communicative and social activity.

5. Constantly transforming environment.

6. Interaction with the space.

The review and revision of needs and the conditions for meeting them is a major factor in the adaptation and interventions in the project premises.

Depending on the level of familiarity with the environment of the project, the following interactions can be observed: • Adaptation of the activity to the space.

• Adaptation of the space so as to meet emerging needs.

The ever-changing team is partly the cause of this change but at the same time it enriches the same process with new knowledge.

This occurs spontaneously with small interventions or in an organised way in response to emerging needs. In some cases the intervention in the space itself is an attempt to take ownership and create conditions of comfort/familiarity.

7. Experimentation and resourcefulness.

8. Action and emotion.

Experimentation is a key element in the development and evolution of knowledge and actions, but also an activity that encourages curiosity and the search for new options.

Resourcefulness is also an important characteristic of the effort aimed at using already available resources and saving materials.

Thus fostering creative thinking and turning the design and construction process into a learning experience.

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The planning and participation in the actions is aimed towards the ultimate vision of the project, which is the presence of a different way of living, better for man and nature. Thus it addresses the unmet individual and collective needs, causing conditions that allow understanding, the emergence of pleasure, optimism and empowerment.

3.2.c Interviews At this point the interviews act as a means of developing empathy to better understand the users and their needs in the context of their activity in the project.

In order to develop targeted questions and to obtain useful information, the users who participated in the process and the questions developed were grouped into three categories: 1. Administrative team ( >5 years)

2. Volunteers (1-5 years)

3. New volunteers (<1 year)

People who have been living for a long time in the project’s premises and have a lot of experience in terms of the project’s activities, the organization and conduct of educational activities and the development of the project’s infrastructure.

People who have completed a year-long cycle of residence and participation in activities and daily processes. They are familiar with the premises and the way the project works.

New members of the project who are currently at a stage of familiarisation, adaptation and acquaintance.

Objectives:

·· Interaction with future users to reveal additional information and deeper understanding. ·· Discovery of behavioural drivers and underlying needs (conscious or unconscious). ·· Developing empathy, a starting point for a better understanding of behaviours, choices and needs.

Why? (How do they think about the world?).

·· Understanding the elements behind the scenes of an observation.

Parameters for the selection & structure of the questions:

·· Questions for answers based on personal experiences. ·· Consistent flow and transition between questions to facilitate the flow of the discussion. ·· Encouragement to narrate situations/stories (to reveal personal view of the world). ·· Questions that encourage the search for causes of phenomena. ( Why?) ·· Questions that encourage emotional expression. ·· Neutral character of questions. ·· Adopting a neutral and unbiased attitude of the interviewer when conducting the interview and interpreting the results.

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Questions 1. Administrative team ( >5 years) 1. What led you to join/create this project?

2. Have you noticed changes in the way you think or deal with certain issues you are called upon to address?

3. What are some of the moments when you feel particularly happy/satisfied? Why? Frustrated or annoyed? Why? 4. What do you miss when you are not here?

5. After all these years what are some things, facilities, conditions that you thought would be necessary but it turns out they are not? And what are the ones you didn’t think were important but turned out to be essential?

6. How do you decide which activities will take place and when? Can you imagine this being done differently?How? 7. How do you imagine a day at the School of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency ?

8. What do you hope/would you like participants to gain from this experience?

9. What do you imagine your role in this school to be?

10. Why do you think a place like this should exist today?

2. Volunteers (1-5 years) 1. What led you to come here?

2. What did you think/expected to gain from this experience?

3. What turned out to be different than expected?

4. Have you noticed changes in the way you think or handle certain issues/questions you are called upon to deal with?

5. What are some of the moments when you feel particularly pleased, satisfied? Why? Frustrated or annoyed? Why? 6. What do you miss when you’re not here?

7. After your time here, what are some things, facilities, conditions that you thought would be necessary, but it turns out they are not? And what are the things that you didn’t think were important but turned out to be essential?

8. How do you imagine a day at the School of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency?

3. New volunteers (<1 year) 1. What led you to come here? (deciding factor) 2. What did you think/expected to gain from this experience?

3. So far, are things as you expected? If not, how are they different?

4. So far, what events have you observed that you are most excited about?

5. What do you think could have been done differently?

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Answers and Results: The resulting responses were then studied and assigned to seven categories in order to better understand and use the information to develop the design proposal.

The categories focus on:

·· The main reasons for the creation and the members’ first contact with this project, ·· On the basic needs presented to be met either through the operational plan and activities, ·· or through its spatial development and organization. ·· In the way of operating and implementing activities, ·· In the desired outcomes through the operation of the project. ·· On the desired impact of the presence and action of the School of Sustainability and Self-sufficiency. ·· On difficulties/emerging issues that arise.

Commentary on Results The causes as listed above are generalized expressions of personal needs and aspirations. They reflect the search for solutions to emerging concerns regarding the need for a new daily routine and a new pattern of life.

Through the responses concerning issues of addressing emerging needs, the immediate possibility or opportunities presented for initiative and action to address these issues are identified.

The presence in the sites of the project and the set of actions and experiences aims at a process of continuous individual and, by extension, collective development.

It is the operation and activities that define the spatial development and evolution or reorganization of the premises of the project.

“Movement based on seasons, the life around us and human potential. Like a village with different poles and activities - like little bubbles - surrounded by information, inspiration and stimuli.”57

57. Free and Real member interview excerpt.

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Causes •

Recognition of the unsustainable nature of the modern urban lifestyle and the current socio-economic system.

•

Need for a different model of living, treating the planet, and pathways of meeting needs and living together.

•

Search for new values and rethinking of priorities.

Needs (indirect- operational plan and activities) •

Shaping of everyday activities

•

Financial independence

•

New way of living and living together

•

Social interaction, cooperation, sharing

•

Creation, exchange of knowledge and practices

•

Observation and contact with natural processes & food production

•

Communication & new ways of communication - Open environment for expression.

•

Initiative, continuous and direct action.

Needs (spatial development and organisation) •

Response to emerging needs, (changes in human resources & team dynamics)

•

Balance between personal and community space and time (opportunities for privacy & personal development)

•

Meeting basic needs from the early stages of the school’s development.

•

Organisation - Management Team

•

Planning and programming

•

Annual/seasonal cycle of activities.

•

Example of implementation: Surrounding buildings made by people through collaboration & collective effort.

•

Development of learning activities for all ages.

•

A place of experimentation and research.

•

Meeting needs and conditions through the collectively structured environment.

Function-Activity •

Spatial and operational development & configuration based on available resources, program & human resources.

•

Ongoing spatial reconfiguration based on emerging needs.

•

Workshops as a contribution to spatial development and knowledge sharing.

Desired outcome •

Sustainability and self-sufficiency school.

•

Mobility.

•

Seminars, Festivals

•

•

Empowerment through knowledge and accountability.

Community: People from different parts of the world and different ages, experience and learn, foster understanding and find their own place and space.

•

Hospitable space that stimulates curiosity.

•

Developing practical skills and competences.

Purpose - Impact •

Promote a sustainable way of life in balance and co-existence with other creatures and the planet.

•

New pattern > ripple effect > many small examples > more contact/presence

•

Practical example of a gradual transition and the range of options and courses of action.

•

Contact of stakeholders with a different way of life.

•

Empowerment of individuals towards empowerment and taking action.

•

Development and transfer of knowledge and practical examples (creating a history of references) for the creation of selfsufficiency and sustainability projects.

Problems - Emerging issues

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•

The continuous or periodic changes in the number of people in the group leads to the presence of a small/limited number of individuals who carry the larger body of knowledge and experience.

•

The process of adaptation of new members to an environment full of new stimuli often creates confusion at a personal level with regard to balancing and differentiating between personal time, space, priorities and necessities and the collective, in the context of integration into a new daily routine and way of cohabitation.

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3.2.d Module Conclusions As highlighted through the work of understanding and developing empathy, we can identify a series of actions and activities that throughout the existence of the community, its members utilize towards achieving the vision which for them constitutes a daily motivation.

Acting towards: •

Providing a dynamic example of everyday life in harmony with the community and the environment.

•

Developing practical skills and competencies considered important for achieving self-sufficiency.

•

Practical learning approach.

•

Field work on the focus areas and capacity building for implementing future solutions.

•

Collaboration, knowledge exchange.

•

Do-It-Together approach.

Through:

•

Knowledge transfer

•

Providing live dynamic examples

•

Experiential learning

•

Encouraging inclusiveness & creative and efficient solutions

•

Celebrating experimentation and sometimes failure

•

Interacting

•

Creating motivation

•

Connecting people, ideas and initiatives

•

Collaboration

•

Action in the context of the patterns of nature and seasonality.

•

Experiential learning - action as a means of learning. Practical example of transition.

•

Observing impact

•

Encouraging research and experimentation. Everyday life and interaction as part of/ as a community.

•

Encouraging critical thinking

•

Responding to change.

•

Creativity and communication.

3.3. Identifying the design challenge Before proceeding to the search for design solutions, an important step for the design that attempts to meet the needs of the users to whom it is addressed is the identification of the design issue, chalenge or design proposal, or otherwise, the design problem to be solved.

For this step of the process we draw on the findings and perspectives that emerged in the previous stages of the process. In this way, the goal is to formulate a design question that expresses a significant challenge which arises and is based on our understanding of the users under study.

In essence, it expresses a ‘vision’ to which we are invited to offer a design solution.

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Defining the Design Challenge.

The

VIsion A major challenge framed by users. empowerment, inspiration, encouragement, action, catalyst, mobilization, equipment, change, transition, transformation, model, improvement, goal, society, environment, future, life, tomorrow, community, together, impact, natural, human, power, new reality, creation, coexistence, planet, new approach, dynamic, support, creative solutions, options, knowledge, experience, example, possibilities, thought-practice, freedom

Formulating the challenge.

How can we design… so that…

•

Design a school that strengthens action efforts towards a better tomorrow.

•

Design a school that is a source of inspiration for action towards a future of coexistence with our planet.

•

How can we design a school that constitutes a source of empowerment, cooperation and knowledge towards a sustainable future of coexistence?

•

How can we design a school that is a source of empowerment by providing the necessary tools towards creating a sustainable future of coexistence.

•

How can we design a school that encourages people to create change for a better tomorrow?

•

How to design a school that is a source of motivation and encouragement for action towards change for a better life.

Design a school that is a practical example of transition to a new sustainable reality.

It is important to formulate the issue in a way that creates a framework within which the creative search for ideas towards a solution will take place:

How can we design a school in which the spatial qualities support the dynamic and changing character of the actions of experimentation and creation in the spirit of cooperation towards the transition to a new sustainable reality ?

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3.4. Available tools for addressing the design challenge through architectural design.

(Organisation of intentions to develop the design challenge)

In order to solve or create solutions for the design challenge, we have in our possession the tools that, in this effort to develop an environmentally and socially sustainable design process, are now part of our design ‘toolbox’.

These tools can themselves be a trigger for the development of ideas or keys to solving them in the process of designing. Their formulation is based on the use of the guiding principles and methodology for approaching the design issue as presented in Chapters 1 and 2, as well as the findings from the stages of discovering and defining the design challenge in the relevant social and environmental context as presented in the previous steps of this chapter.

Seasonal cycle & natural patterns

Understanding the limitations of the design process Creation of spaces that allow personal & collective development

Spatial development as a tool for learning.

Opportunities for interaction & intervention in space

Design systems based on efficiency, operation & results Identification & leveraging of interactions

Regenerative interventions and behaviour

Design tools & guiding principles to address the design chalenge.

Building history and experience

Use of natural energy flows and energy saving

Top to bottom & buttom-up approach Creating conditions for experimentation & initiative

Elimination of the concept of waste

Flexible, adaptable structures, & reusable materials

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Chapter 4: Conclusions

This last chapter highlights the potential of the outcome and the proposed approach to the design process to act as a means to develop positive impact, as well as its role in the development of design decisions and the parameters for evaluating the outcome.

In the previous chapters, an exploration of design principles and methodology was presented aiming at developing a guiding framework for the design of architectural projects, which through their implementation and operation wish to be a factor of positive change for the environment and society.

Through these, the adoption of approaches based on the pursuit of social well-being, responsible use of natural resources, recognition of interactional relationships and information through feedback is proposed, together with a new approach to the process and way of thinking about design.

Thus, by turning beyond the outcome, and towards the value inherent in the process itself, we can develop and promote the emergence of design proposals that not only respond to the needs of today, but with us, can continue to respond and adapt to a dynamic social and natural environment.

The path towards a solution The above findings highlight that the architectural design process, which aims to act as a catalyst for positive impact, could not be treated as a series of established executable steps. The proposed principles and methodology, are not themselves the solution, but provide the tools to help us reach it, as finding solutions is based on responding to needs, the causes of which, and the circumstances that led to their emergence, are due to factors that differ in each case.

Therefore, the focus of the study is on the users and the observation of their behavioral patterns microscopically and macroscopically, looking for solutions that arise and are based on them.

This process, creates new challenges for the designer as it calls for the further utilization and development of skills such as, empathy, recognition of the assumptions and presumptions that are embedded in our observations, the ability to develop unconstrained ideas based on the constant exercise of critique which is rooted in habitual practices.

The ability to adapt, develop and transform ideas based on informed choices is a ‘tool’ of particular importance for the designer.

Navigating Ambiguity The design process as it is presented in this paper is characterised by iterative steps of searching for needs and developing solutions. This ability to review and revise, combined with the awareness of the absence of a panacea and the dichotomy of right or wrong choices, places us in a realm of ambiguity.

Ambiguity here, is the space between the recognition of the design chalenge and the finding of a solution. This space is characterized by the uncomfortable feeling due to the unknown of probabilities and uncertainty about what is to be done. Ambiguity is the challenge of this process.

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It can be seen as both a challenge and an opportunity for new discoveries, and a parallel exploration of different possible solutions.

The solution is no longer an end in itself, and the development of confidence and trust in the process comes through practice, and gathering experience.

At this point, collaborative and communicative relationships, testing, the use of feedback systems and action with purpose are all points of reference.

Impact Many factors contribute to shaping the impact, since, as it is also highlighted by systems thinking, it is not a simple sign of an action-reaction relationship.

Positive impact is the positive or beneficial consequences of architecture and design, in the form of long-term changes in people’s lives, or the environment, which are caused by some stage of the design, construction process, and the result of the intervention in the specific social and environmental context. Thus, it is directly linked to the sustainability and further development of these interventions.

This outcome is based on the set of design decisions which are guided by a set of design principles and tools which, in turn, are based on the study of the desired change expressed through the desired impact. The desired change, however, is also the vision that informs design decisions.58 Our response to the goals we have composed ourselves is based on the intentions that already form the basis of our design “toolbox”

Theory of Change Input

Activities

Outputs

Outcomes

Impact

58. One of the best known tools is the “Theory of change”. Through which, a targeted strategy for a planned change is outlined, identifying the conditions, pathways and interventions necessary for successful impact. It helps us to understand how our activities contribute towards achieving the desired impact.

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Design Decisions

Design tools

Actions

Outputs

Outcomes

Impact

early results intermediate changes longterm change

Example: Designing a School of Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency.

Design decisions

Design principles & tools

Design principles

Output

Actions

• User participation in the spatial planning processes.

• A living example of co-existence (society and environment).

• Spatial development as a means of learning.

• Integration of actions and training seminars into the building activities.

• Everyday life and interaction (membercommunity relationship).

• Spaces that enable personal and collective development.

• Development based on familiar building techniques and systems.

• Action in harmony with natural patterns.

• Interventions towards appropriation/ ownership.

• Testing activities for further development and adaptation of building techniques with stakeholder participation.

• Encouraging research & experimentation

• Top-down and bottom-up approaches.

• Exploiting interaction relationships.

• Expandable areas for joint activities • Design of spaces with differentiation in privacy.

• Understanding the limitations of design.

• Observation of historical spatial organisation of activities.

• Utilization and adaptation of design to local climatic conditions.

• Reuse or retrofitting of available building materials and existing facilities.

• Planting design based on the forest garden system.

• Design based on natural energy flows, efficiency and savings.

• Practical approach to learning.

• Understanding the daily pattern of activities

• Experimentation and encouraging initiative.

Design tools

• Development of practical skills

Outcome • Knowledge transfer.

• Involvement - collective spirit.

• Creative and efficient solution finding.

• Empowering motivation and skills.

• Connecting people & ideas.

• Utilisation of the natural topography of the area for water collection and direction.

• Collaboration.

• Regenerative landscaping and planting interventions from the start of activities in the intervention area.

• Critical thinking.

• Elimination of waste streams.

• Use of natural materials and low-processing materials that are readily available or already available in the area of intervention.

• Reusable materials.

• Design for passive utilisation of solar gains.

• Building and construction history and experience.

• Study of thermo-spatial and insulating properties of materials in the choice of building techniques.

• Flexible, adaptable structures.

• Communication.

• Creative response to change.

Impact • Creation of new projects.

• Seasonal cycle and natural patterns.

• Knowledge and support network.

• Regenerative behaviour.

• Sustainability.

interventions

and

• Self-sufficiency.

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Feedback Loops Design Approach

Objective

Priorities, Criteria & Design principles

Design Tools

Desired impact -the vision-

Guidelines

Although we usually cannot measure long-term results, the vision informs the set of choices during the project. We organize, plan and design for it.

Through this approach, two opportunities for impact are presented:

·· The impact of the final product that benefits the lives of users, ·· The impact of the process which is the contribution to changing attitudes and behaviours of interaction and participation in the processes of experiential learning and participatory design.

As a result, it can bring about a ripple effect as participants are encouraged to apply these skills to new challenges.

Thus, the influence exerted transcends the boundaries of the immediate users and extends to the wider product environment.

Actions aimed towards impact can be observed, as loop components, which through their operation inform us of changes directed towards the desired state/level.59

Environmental Impact With a new approach to thinking and the creation of new design goals, we can move beyond the level of resource efficiency, and the avoidance of pollutants during the construction and operation stages, towards a positive balance and a regenerative role of architecture, through 59. Referring to the adoption of regenerative behaviours, then, perhaps we can see impact as a reinforcing feedback loop which, in parallel with its regenerative activity and the corresponding system, is directed towards creating an equilibrium.

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the development and implementation of regenerative approaches, solutions, behaviours and practices.

Thus, through architectural design and implementation, we can contribute to improving the quality of life by acting to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or engineered ecosystems that respond to social change with efficiency and adaptability, whilst providing social and environmental benefits.

Possible indicators: Resource savings, Nature and biodiversity gains.

Social Impact Social impact relates to the ability of building and design interventions to create positive social change in communities and individuals.

It could be said that one of the typical indicators when planning for social impact is the development and demonstration of social value.

This concept goes beyond the benefits brought about by the immediate results of our interventions in any given project as it can encompass broader positive changes contributing to creating greater impact.

How is the community, society, the world affected when we have completed our action?

Possible indicators: Safety, Accessibility (to those in need), Integration into the social and cultural context, Improved health and well-being, Socio-economic benefits.

Study and evaluation of impact.

As highlighted in chapters 1 and 2, being fully aware of the consequences of our actions in a system and a world of interconnections and interactions is impossible.

Nevertheless, in this effort, it is important to understand whether the proposed solution achieves the desired results, and how it can be improved over time.

The best way to be aware of the impact phenomenon is to observe and record it through feedback systems and evaluate the results against the objectives we have set in the previous steps of the process.

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A systemic approach to impact mapping allows us to maintain a flow of information but also to improve our understanding of what we are achieving for, and with, community members and how to move forward, but also to communicate this impact and share new knowledge.

They are necessary actions to manage the process and acknowledge our position towards desired goals, some of which are achieved, while others may change or be excluded along the way.

We measure for: Learning

•

Understanding performance

•

Testing of assumptions

•

Improving understanding of impact

Action

Responsibility

•

Drives behaviour

•

Reporting of performance

•

Communicates value

•

Development of trust relationships

Each point of information helps us to adapt and improve our ability to influence change.

The impact can be direct or indirect, quantified or unquantifiable.

By defining a set of environmental and social impact indicators, we can monitor all activities and the architectural outcome to assess its performance.

Objectives60: What we want to achieve.

Indicators : Identification of success characteristics.

Indicators must be specific, achievable and realistic enough that we can track them and their recording must be done in a time frame that makes sense in relation to other factors and the duration of the project.

Possible indicators are the changes: • In learning and awareness (in the targeted theme)

the systemic set in question.)

• In empowerment (e.g. developing self-confidence)

• In environmental conditions

• In well-being (safety, accessibility)

• Biodiversity

• On behaviours (e.g. involvement - initiatives, new groups)

• Access to resources and services (e.g. education, information)

• In skills and competences (Development of competences & skills within

• Developing networks & contributing to existing networks

Levels of observation: Individual, Community, Group.

60. The objectives consist of elements towards the achievement of the desired impact on the basis of which indicators can be defined.

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Defining success We define a set of criteria that highlight the achievement of the goal to help guide and evaluate the development and scaling of our design concept. It is important to note that each area of activity must have other objectives which are based on the context.

We consider the people who are involved and return to the original processes and user understanding outcomes What values are captured in the design proposal for each group of people?

Through this approach we can help reduce environmental erosion, promote the restoration of nature and biodiversity and encourage the creation of social value and favourable living conditions.

Designers and the built environment industry must respond positively to this challenge by planning for change.

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Activity Impact Free & Real: School of Sustainability & Self-sufficiency

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Activity Impact Youth Energy Academy Sustainable Energy Youth Network

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Source: https://www.seynetwork.org/ single-post/with-your-own-twohands-a-practical-action-approachto-youth-empowerment-and-gendermainstreaming, (accessed 2/03/20)

Note: This paper is part of an effort to study the planning process, (the processing, development of solutions and intervention in the living environment) as a vehicle for engagement, collaboration and capacity building that will lead to practical action and development of sustainable solutions for - and towards - the communities that seek them.

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Annex: Examples of systems mapping

Example 1: Feedback loops Feedback loops Balancing loops

Reinforcing loops Desired level -Goal-

Actual level

Air temperature

Water level

Flotter

Amount of water

Account balance

Interest rate

Group in power

Followers

New members

Water intake

Thirst

New supply Orders

Result

Water flow

Boiler Thermostat

Action

gap

Balancing action

Inventory

Gathering of knowledge

Destruction

Demand

Loss of basic infrastructure

Price

Accumulation of wealth

No. of members

Recruiting activities

Concentration of power

Resource supply

Restoration

Increase in popularity

Multiple loops Overall available surface area Shock Disease

Fatality

Surface per individual

Deaths

Total population

Predators

Food per individual

Decision to invest

Client demand

No. of births

Production pressure

Reproduction rate Product quality

Production capacity (potential)

Total food supply

In this diagram various examples of loops of balancing (-) or amplifying (+) character are presented as well as examples of their combination where the dynamic behaviour of the systems in which they are included is highlighted.

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Example 2: Forest

Energy Sun O2

Oxygen

Φυτοφάγα Trees

Water

Shrubs

Animals

Low vegetation CO2

Σαρκοφάγα

Carbon dioxide

Nutritional elements Biomass organic matter

Dead animals

Decomposers Fungi Insects Worms

Feedback mechanisms •

Population, density & rate of change.

•

Diversity.

•

Percentage of nutrients in the soil.

A brief study of a forest ecosystem reveals the capacity inherent in the system itself to be maintained in equilibrium and its cyclical nature, due to which the concept of waste is nonexistent.

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Example 3: Energy poverty in Greek households. import of energy sources

ανανεώσιμη ενέργεια

fossil fuels

energy sources

primary energy

production of electrical energy

Feedback mechanisms

energy losses due to transmission

electricity supply fossil fuel lobby

•

Electricity bill (amount-income ratio, percentage of unpaid bills)

•

Hours of heating activity per household

•

Heating method/ sources

distribution network

Stakeholders

electricity bill

Government subsidies

final energy

access to a stable and reliable power supply

low/ insufficient income

state benefits

household consumption building energy losses

heating/ cooling

transport electrical appliances

hot water heating system

Feedback loops

Feedback loops

oil/fuel price

feeling cold

low temperature

insufficient insulation

heating need

heat losses

building energy losses

building energy standards

investment cost

temp. levels

cost

lack of money

heat losses

building energy losses ownership issues

consumption insufficient income heating demand

lack of thermal comfort

increase of need

increase of consumption

The set of diagrams emerged as an attempt to spontaneously collect knowledge to understand the complexity of the issue of energy security and accessibility.This knowledge on the mentioned issue was developed through involvement in the field of renewable energy applications on a community and small scale as well as attending a seminar on passive building construction and the role of the building envelope in energy losses.

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Example 4: Soundsystem

DJ

speaker headphones

source/set list

power supply

mixer mic. amplifier crossover

crossover subwoofer

tweeter

mid-range

tweeter

mid-range

audience

Feedback mechanisms •

Number of dancers

•

Sound quality rating by users

•

Comments and feedback through observation.

The sound system consists of a collection of components that are connected together to convert incoming information and electricity into sound.

The corresponding diagram was developed following a study and work aimed at designing and building a series of sound systems in various sizes to cover the festival and daily activities of the Free and Real community.

Each element of the system was studied so that the whole would work providing the best possible result based on available financial resources and knowledge skills.

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Chapter 5: Playground

physical excercise social interactions

maintainance

suitable age

entertainment

kids

cost of maintainance

distributed resources

equipment

location

cleanliness local community

access public space safety

users parents

habbit

lighting

weather protection

coming/ leaving

Feedback mechanisms •

Number of children and parents.

•

Frequency of visits.

•

Significant changes in the number of visitors

•

Age range of children.

This diagram shows an attempt to map the factors that contribute to the operation of a playground.

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Example 6: System of online learning

certification

access to equipment

organizational entity internet promotion

content coordinators students topic of online course

agenda trainers/ facilitators

familiarisation with the digital platform environment

online platform duration programmers

web designers

Feedback mechanisms •

Performance of students

•

Level of interest.

•

Number of applications.

•

Emerging issues related to the online platform.

•

Percentage of participants completing the course.

This diagram illustrates the system of factors that contribute to the organization of an online training program as it was formed on the basis of personal experience as a member of a team organizing a corresponding seminar.

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