1

Deep Green: Biodesign in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Since founding London-based experimental architecture and design firm ecoLogicStudio in 2005, Claudia Pasquero and Marco Poletto have carved out a niche in biotechnology for the built environment. Their new book features projects from 2012 to 2022, which range in scale from micro to global. Centring three recurring themes in the firm’s research — cutting-edge blue-green master planning, biodesign in architecture, and A.I. as a medium for urban design — the book expands the definition of A.I. from digital to biological. The first section, entitled “PhotoSynthetica,” chronicles the development of a technology that harnesses microalgae’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air — and boasts applications from green building facades to air-purifying curtains. The second half, meanwhile, engages with larger philosophical questions such as the aesthetics of ecological architecture. In exploring the inherent intelligence of slime moulds and mycelium networks, the book invites readers to consider the potential of nature-based technologies in shaping the future of architecture.

2

Ecogradia

Since the late ’90s, Nirmal Kishnani — a strategist, author and associate professor at the National University of Singapore — has championed the sustainable building movement in Asia. Ecogradia, a podcast surveying topics in architecture and urban design, is his latest green-minded endeavour. While most reporting about the climate crisis feels hopelessly dire, Ecogradia instead serves as a well of inspiration, celebrating local and global practitioners leading the way in sustainability and empowering others to do the same. The recently launched (and star-studded) third season features interviews with Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao and Ambrish Arora of India’s Studio Lotus. Delve into the archives for conversations with Sonali and Manit Rastogi of Morphogenesis, a progressive architectural firm in India, and Kotchakorn Voraakhom of LANDPROCESS, a landscape firm that deals with flood resilience in Thailand.

3

The Regenerative Materials Movement

What does it mean for a material to be regenerative? Put simply, it must have a net positive impact on the planet. This collection of essays, written by thought leaders across sectors, aims to serve as a launchpad for conversation, with clear calls to action that work toward healthy, equitable, restorative and climate-resilient architecture. While the environmental implications of building materials are indisputable, the “embodied suffering” (including forced labour, inequitable health impacts and environmental racism) that exists within even the most eco-friendly options is often invisible. Parts 1 and 2, which focus on justice and equity and health, respectively, unpack these unfortunate realities. Part 3, meanwhile, tackles the nuts and bolts of designing for the climate, including a case study of MASS Design Group’s hyper-local approach in Rwanda, highlighting the immense knowledge — and respect for the land — that exists in the Global South.