The Attribute : LEED

After the pioneership, there is indeed a move towards the attributes for the clientele to be convinced by the facts and objectives of LEED.

The Anomaly

Peculiarly LEED is providing a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

Characteristics do not end as there is another aspect, where LEED is a voluntary rating system, whereas USGBC does not enforce any building or development to go for LEED certification.

It is a consensus based system, where it is acceptable to all stake holders in construction market. LEED rating systems are driven by the input from a large section of members, from every sector of market like contractors, manufacturers etc.

It is a third party certification, the project is assissted and certified by agencies which are not related to the project.

It is very important to discuss and tell the less-informative portions of civilization to know about the metamorphose for all environmental issues.

The Liability

Taking over the liabilities or answerability towards all the issues related to environment, is again a stigma for the metamorphose to be accomplished in the same way.

LEED is developed, based on the Triple bottom line, normally referred to as People, Profit and Planet.

There are different yet specific propounds by the LEED certified buildings.

Starting from, Social Responsibility, which is the better living conditions for people; Environment Stewardship, which is, less impact on environment i.e. Planet; and last, Economic Prosperity, which is the reduction of the life cycle cost of building, that makes the essential to remark, Profit.

There are these three pillars, which form a base for the development of LEED.

The Genus

LEED however, could influence the sphere with its popularity and name, but there are further, the rating systems, or specifications which make the depth of LEED more aspiring.

LEED for Building Design and Construction

Starting with this category of certifications and credentials.

It is applicable for new constructions and the major renovations of buildings. Further, there is a differentiation between major and minor renovation of buildings. Some changes like, the Building envelope changes, which is the shell of the building which separates the interior and exterior, or it also separates the conditioned and non-conditioned areas of the building.

Another change, the HVAC system change and Major interior change, both of which significantly impact towards the energy assumptions of the buildings.

LEED for Interior Design and Construction

The second category, this application is for projects whose scope is limited to the interior fit out only. Such projects don't have any scope on the structure or the shell of the building.

LEED for Operation and Maintenance

Third categorial is applicable to existing buildings undergoing improvements. Including some minor upgrades as well, along with projects which would like to demonstrate their sustainable practices.

LEED for Neighbourhood Development

Categorial is applicable for land development projects, mixed use development projects for example Beijing olympic village.

LEED for Homes

This category, specifies the application for all residential projects except for the high rise buildings, acceptance is till the 8 habitable stories.

The Biennial : Chicago Architecture

Biennial may sound like something alienistic but, it is rather a parachuting and another expression of the exposure to contemporary culture of Chicago. It is an international exhibition, which cites to be first Chicago Architecture Biennial. And so, comes the covered and yet to be outspoken statements about possibilities of a productive relationship between architecture and the city.

Competition comes with the line when there is challenge to developers or politicians, i.e. whether the brutal landscape of contemporary American city might offer opportunities to implement as a force for better cities. Moving on, the blend in which Architect’s are involved. The cultural and disciplinary content with public facing awareness yields the forgery to continue the same with chicago’s famous pragmatism, but can Architect’s marry their undoubted and vivid imagination …

Biennial is noted as a generational shift. Different generation, instigation, curating, arguing and proposing interests and urgencies. The unfurled establishment of a platform though the biennial has initiated relationships and dialogues to be spotted on.

Chicago Architecture Biennial, is an avalanche of pointless events by doing things on its own. Its the age of inalfication , every city with every form of creative practice at vast expense and greater effort mounts gigantic productions. These events marshall entire disciplines, commands acres of physical space and even more media space. Somewhere between trade fair and culture, tourism, city branding and professional interest, public outreach and academic study, such events wield a vast array of interests under a single umbrella. Grand spaces of Chicago's cultural centre malaise the view and makes you wander. As per the very nature, they are uncuratable compared to traditional gallery shows. Chicago's Biennial, a thing that should be understood more as platform than proposition. Some architects find the idea of discipline as a discursive diaspora an anathema to their more traditional declamatory and adversarial modes.

According to the European sensibility, seems to be nowhere. A huge lake on one side and miles of flat farmland on other This city has extensive quintessentially urban experience. There are two problems in architecture, First one is to find what architecture is and the other one is to find out how to make architecture. Chicago has history but it is also blessed with vibrant architecture culture. Chicago is also considered to be a living laboratory of future infrastructure. In chicago, prospects of young architects are tough.
Henceforth, the Biennial has resulted in a good platform for the immediate and responsive architecture of the city to be fruitful when it comes to figure out the true meaning of contemporary architecture with the city's tradition and ethnicity.

Travel as a Designer

Travelling on a whole serves a platter of divergent qualifications, persona and observational savoir fare. And though we don't realise it, but we surely need it.

Firstly, if we have to talk about individuals, then, any individual somehow sometime gets bored or exhausted from their daily-working life and this is how travelling comes in introduction. In terms of a suitable vacation, travelling introduces fun and love for life which is lost or yet to be discovered.

Coming back to Designing...

As a designer, we tend to design/produce a product which excites the implementing power within us. It is however very essential for us, the designers to bring out a product which has tended to specialise in every field.

Designers, have this in their blood, to implement their fresh designs amongst the requirements of virtuality. Question comes for the time, when even the fresh taste needs a change, because the creators and the beneficiary both get sick and used-to, to the same taste of design.

Travelling however turns up the diverted, soul-less, less-explored, side of oneself (designer) to the world. The experience of practicality of any particular type of designing, pre-occupies the vacuum of not-producing good products.

The new designated freshness, first of all, it all relies on the mood of oneself. Not to forget the meeting with new clients, it is however not pragmatic enough to say that those clients have to be on a longer-term basis, but however they prove to be good in an inconsistent type of interactive session.

There is always this bored and monotonous side of designers when they are in same place producing the same type of design, however that cannot be changed, but can always be explored, enhanced and developed with new inspirations through travelling.

How travel improves you as a designer?

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness - Mark Twain

Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth, all in one's lifetime.Travel, thus, is a movement with relatively short stays within successive destinations, tends to answer some questions which even google can't. Though travel doesn't improve your design work directly. But, indirectly it makes your work speak/reflect more essential quality. When you are happy, thoughtful, joyful, your work  gives a more productive output. Designers yet work out a master-piece when their work is in the same grid with enthusiasm and refreshment. Following are some very simple ways in which travel enhances your design work.

• Focused work sessions

We humans have this tendency to hyper-focus in crucial time. Imagine if you would have to finish a project in a particular given time, like a day? You will find a way anyhow to complete it and give your best in that limited or rescued time. Now imagine if you are given a two-day time or even a month, then no matter what your work sessions will be elongated. The scheduled time, distributed for things equally, will force you to focus on the design in the necessitated time itself and this would hence avoid needlessly stretching over the design. You can take that time to enjoy rest of the day with other episodes of routine. It is always preferable to have a more intense crunch-style work sessions.

• Fresh inspiration

New things almost every time bring a new wind of inspiration with them, later it all depends on the grasping strategy. Remember the new style of building, new movie released or new style of music? New thoughts are elated derivations from changed surroundings we are into.Travel gives you experiences at every nook, because every time you see different roads, dissimilar people, divergent architecture and hence this manoeuvre of thoughts is a good implementations to your designs. Also, the change of environment and surroundings bring us out of the same, repeated design theory. Fresh inspirations are always good for design work and you would even not know when did a change brought something out of the box.

• Easy motivation and excitement

Due to diversities that you see, tend to grow your creativity skills even more. Imagine been listening to the same type of music for many times, no one can handle the monotonous tone within themselves for a long time. By having diverse sights and activities during your travel, gives you the caliber of being motivated and excited for a long time. Too-much of same dose brings down the creativity in you.

• You meet new designers and clients

Out of all, I think this would be the one which affects your design work directly. When you travel you meet new people/gentry (clients in a way), in a coffee shop or any other public spot. This is another way where you accomplish yourself to the outside world and perform as demanded. This may be another personality development task though, this is how it works when the different side of travel or visits is overlooked through a professional eye.

It is the extent which matters and the long-way to travel has no end, it is the usage to regulate imagination by reality and instead of thinking how things may be, it is better to see them as they are !