Future-fitting an industry as old as humanity

An industry as old as humanity, but with thinking that is stuck in a different century - let’s change that. 

We used to build with the land. In reverence of it, not in spite of it. Connection and community, paying homage and respect to who and what came before, and building with the stars, the moon, the seasons, and the energy of the Earth. 

We’re going back a long time, to Egypt and Greece, different cultures and different times. In the 1700s, we had one of the most significant changes in humanity, the Industrial Revolution. New ways of thinking, new ways of working, new ways of building. And, let’s face it, it served us well - at the time. 

We benefited a whole lot from the acceleration and the new materials that were available. But, in those near-250 years since, we seem to be stuck in a time warp, unable to see the wood or the trees.

Spoiler alert, they’re probably burning. 

The rate that we are building is unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes. Architecture 2030 predicts that we will build the equivalent of New York City every month for the next 40 years. That’s a lot of building, a lot of materials, a lot of resource. 

Now, we’re not saying that it has to stop, halt, or even pause. We’re not saying don’t build, we’re saying we need to build better. This industry has been alive and kicking for as long as we have, but the thinking and the action seems to be archaic, where we have advanced so much in so many other areas.

We need change. 

Change in how we build, change in how we see the industry as a whole, and change in how we see opportunity and materials. What if we thought about the longevity of what we’re creating and using, building practices of circularity into how we build, and considering the lasting impact rather than the quick reward. 

But, this isn’t a new concept. To future-fit the industry, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. 

We need to remember. 

Our connection to the land and the Earth. 

How we used to build, centuries ago - with structures still standing today.

Why we are all really here. 

We might not see the end result in our lifetimes, and really, that is the goal. 

To build something so significant, robust and industry-changing, that we don’t see the end. It’s not a case of out of sight and out of mind, rather, the opposite. It’s showing care for the process, trust in the next generation, and confidence in the fact that there is a better way. 

Building better, together.