Resourcing: The New Architecture

Global interdependence, recurring financial crises and pressing environmental concerns demand that we as architects rethink our position toward resources. Sustainable architecture requires that complex solutions be built upon resource inventiveness. Accelerating the pace of innovation is especially important in regions experiencing extreme economic and environmental pressures. These challenges will be discussed through the work of BIOMS, a research initiative founded by Prof. Gutierrez that promotes innovation in sustainable building technologies for developing regions by fostering collaboration between architecture and sciences such as bioengineering. Paz Gutierrez is a Chilean-born architect and researcher. An assistant professor of Design and Building Technology in UC Berkeley's Department of Architecture, she is also the founder of the BIOMS research group.