(Survivalist) Canadian Architecture 2020+: vers. 2

The letter ‘S’ figures prominently in current cultural, hence, architectural, lexicon and discourse.

Space. Safety. Security. Sustainability.

I’m promoting the overarching notion of Survivalist. Architecture. That is the only recourse we appear to have. Fashion, Beauty, Function, Tactility, Tradition – they matter little these days.

Fact #1: Today, 100 million citizens in the Chinese province of Jilin are in severe lockdown, due to the re-emergence of the COVID-19 strain. Reminder: that number of citizens is almost the equivalent of 3 Canadas. Our nation is tiny. 

Fact #2: If the world’s economy is to rebound quickly in order to save lives, businesses, jobs and governments, efficient energy re-deployment will be required, as if we are at war. The continued dependency and demand upon hydrocarbon energy usage is essential for this to occur.  Hence, it appears that we’re not going to meet the Paris Accord carbon emissions targets to avoid global environment collapse in 2030 - 9.5 years away - promoted by the United Nations, the New Green Dealers and their ilk (i.e. 60% of Canadian voters, based on our recent federal election).

Soooo, Canadian architects: if you endorse the urgency of immediate, wholesale carbon dioxide reductions through our culture commodities, we don’t have until 2050 to attain a meaningful proliferation of zero net energy buildings.  Reminder: that’s 30 years away. The world has come full stop over the past 3 months! Stop designing extravagant sports stadiums, resorts, air terminals – anything, actually - because we are now, officially, out of time.

Your choice. Pick a lane. Play time is over.

(Broadway in front of the Flatiron Building, NYC)