This is not a new concept, but often overlooked in property development strategies, and in the organizational models that drive those development strategies.  As architects, we are experiencing fundamental shifts in practice – from climate change, major technology shifts, energy usage and costs, and the tools with which we practice. It is imperative that we develop deeper understanding of sustainable design principles, and as many jurisdictions and business leaders are instituting environmental, energy, and health related initiatives, we must raise the bar every day on our work. 

When I took on the study of the USGBC’s LEED accreditation program a few years ago, I didn’t expect this US developed system to be directly relevant to the projects I was working on around the world – in fact, at the time all of my work was out of the country. I was just interested in learning more about our approach to sustainable design strategies.  I was so amazed when the first comment from the chairman of a development company in Dubai after a major development strategy presentation was “it must be LEED certified”. 

The basic system is simple – good fundamental design principals that carefully balance and consider the use of energy and environmental resources, along with the health of the people we design for. For anyone who hasn’t gone onto the USGBC website a basic exploration is well worth the time, and to develop an understanding of the basic systems of values is one of the best ways to begin.

At TEDGlobal in Oxford a few weeks ago, I met with a number of brilliant industry changing business leaders who are developing new models – not just the buildings that represent their values, but a complete shift in re-connecting values to business and economic models.  Great innovations are in development and the opportunities to reflect those innovations into the built environment have never been more exciting. Here is an excerpt from the minister of the environment of Sweden on this concept, sustainable resilience – the concept behind great new innovations underway.

Resilience, for social-ecological systems, is related to

(a) the magnitude of shock that the system can absorb and remain

within a given state, (b) the degree to which the system is capable

of self-organization, and (c) the degree to which the system can

build capacity for learning and adaptation. Management can

destroy or build resilience, depending on how the social-ecological

system organizes itself in response to management actions.

More resilient social-ecological systems are able to absorb

larger shocks without changing in fundamental ways. When

massive transformation is inevitable, resilient systems contain the

components needed for renewal and reorganization. In other

words, they can cope, adapt, or reorganize without sacrificing the

provision of ecosystem services. Resilience is often associated with

 diversity – of species, of human opportunity, and of economicManagement that builds resilience can sustain 

options – that maintains and encourages both adaptation and

learning.

social-ecological systems in the face of surprise, unpredictability,

and complexity. Resilience-building management is flexible and

open to learning. It attends to slowly-changing, fundamental

variables that create memory, legacy, diversity, and the capacity to

innovate in both social and ecological components of the system. It

also conserves and nurtures the diverse elements that are necessary

to reorganize and adapt to novel, unexpected, and transformative

circumstances. Thus, it increases the range of surprises with which

a socio-economic system can cope.

A powerful concept to consider in both the design and business strategies we now have the opportunity to develop.

Over the past year, my passport has thickened significantly – from Brasil, Russia, Morocco, Istanbul, China, Korea, Taipei, India, Bhutan, and to our offices in London, Dubai, Moscow, Shanghai, Beijing – along with our 5 US based offices – we’ve been designing retail places all over the world.  During my travels I am always drawn to the older marketplaces of these cities – many that have existed for centuries.

 What makes these captivating places so dynamic, so full of energy, discovery and inspiration? What can we learn from these places as we develop new centers of commerce and retail, as we work toward urban revitalization, and as we consider social and economic sustainability?   

 This has become a quest as our work has increasingly provided the opportunity to immerse in many cultures and communities.  The diversity of these places and the richness of the experience is magnetizing in contrast with developments from the past few decades, which feel psychically draining, monotonous and sterile in comparison.   

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul

These places serve as the public living rooms of the community – the best way to experience and connect to the people, the place and their culture. Here are some of the concepts that we are now beginning to incorporate into the design of new developments across the globe.    

Individual human connections   

The people who are selling their goods have a personal connection to the product – creatively displaying the products of their hard work. Many have cultivated or crafted the product, and know every detail of its making and origin – and for the most part, these products are locally made and grown.  

 In many places, the craft and making represent cultural lines reaching back centuries, and the products are created with individual care, meaning, and purpose. It is personal and deeply meaningful to the people – it is a way of life, and there is a great sense of pride in the quality and individuality of the work.  The selling of these goods is the sustenance of life – the crossroads of commerce and passion, economics and culture, sustainability and care.  

Nut Seller - Marrakech Souk

We can create a human centered experience through the way we approach our work – with care and focus on the nature of the human experience, and on the collection of uniquely mixed and curated merchandise – by engaging local small business owners, producers, makers, along with searching out unique product offerings and diverse mixes – not just the same brands in every other development nearby, but a carefully collected mix that will fully engage the surrounding community.  

 Local sourcing  

 Local sourcing is one of the fundamental principles of sustainable design, and many consciously aware consumers actively seek locally produced food and goods.  This is a key driver in purchase decisions – initially for food, though influencing a broader view of purchasing habits.  Many of us have taken a pause to re-assess the consumer values of our lifestyle, and are becoming increasingly conscious of our leadership and responsibilities in the global development of consumer culture, and of how the environmental impact of our lifestyle ripples across the planet.  

Berber Market - Altlas Mountains, Morocco

We are now locating better sources of locally produced materials for the construction of our projects, saving energy on shipping costs, time, and gaining LEED certification credits in the process.  

 The richness of the sensory experience   

Scents – food, leather, flowers, tobacco, spices.  Colors – brilliant arrays of fruits and vegetables, vibrant patterns and materials in a vast saturated spectrum. Sounds – the calls of the shopkeepers, intimate chatting, musicians, and impromptu gatherings. Textures – woven textiles, hammered and etched metals, smooth pottery, ancient cobblestones.   

    The universal language of the shopping experience  

From the Berber markets in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and the souks of Marrakech, to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and Chandni Chowk in Delhi, from the Pike Place Market in Seattle to the food markets of central Java – there is a universal language.  From the line of time back to nomadic trade routes and crossroads, to the modern day markets of urban cities – it is the fabric of human life, the celebration of human connections, and the epicenter of human creative spirit – the marketplace.  

In working on the design of retail spaces, we are working to infuse this – the sensorial richness, layered experience, and inspiring memory of the marketplace.