Meet the Philadelphia Four, a group of rising design firms that see architecture as a weapon in the battle to stave off environmental ruin.
They dream of making buildings that can go up in weeks instead of months, that are manufactured rather than constructed and that penny-pinch on energy.
Like KieranTimberlake, they hope to start a house factory in Philadelphia that employs local workers and helps keep the city green.
Residential
When it comes to sustainable architect projects in Philadelphia, there are plenty to choose from. These green architects have a strong reputation for designing environmentally friendly buildings, and they also excel at building relationships with their clients.
Bob Ng of Jibe Design is a sustainability-minded business owner who sees the bigger picture when it comes to planning and implementing his firm’s strategies. With a degree in urban planning, he enjoys working on interesting projects that contribute to the city’s success and growth.
For example, he’s recently designed a roof garden for the Charles Library. Rather than diverting water into overburdened storm sewers, the planted roof captures precipitation and puts it to use.
Kelly’s firm Re:Vision has a strong portfolio of green architecture projects. They use LEED certification as a measure of their designs’ environmental performance. They also strive to make their buildings’ energy usage “net positive,” so that they generate more energy than they use.
Commercial
Philadelphia is one of the most historic municipalities in the country and it has many national historic landmarks. However, the city is also home to a lot of new and modern structures that add to its charm.
The architecture of these buildings is very diverse with no single style dominating the other. In fact, there are a lot of different architects who work on these projects.
These architects have made a point to create sustainable architect projects that are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. These are some of the best examples of green architecture in the city.
Scott Kelly and Jennifer Rezeli are the owners of Re:Vision, a sustainability-focused firm that has built a reputation for designing high-quality, green buildings. The company also provides consulting services to help clients brainstorm how their buildings can be more environmentally friendly.
Hospitality
Philadelphia is a thriving hub for hospitality and a key player in the US economy. It’s also a place where conservation and sustainability are deeply intertwined.
The city’s commitment to green building is evident in the projects it’s designed. The LEED Gold-certified Hotel Palomar in West Philly, for example, blends eco-friendly features and a streamlined, luxury aesthetic into its design.
In a city that is so rich in historic structures, adaptive reuse is a key approach for Kelly and his team at Re:Vision Architecture. It preserves a building’s history and culture while cutting carbon emissions and demolition waste.
The firm combines its architectural practice with sustainability consulting services to help clients create buildings that promote healthy environments, happy communities, social equity and accessible beauty. Founded as a B-Corporation and certified with a Just label, Re:Vision believes in a deeper, more authentic sustainability approach that’s responsive to the context of each project.
Education
With a rich history and a long list of national historic landmarks, Philadelphia has a lot to offer in terms of architectural diversity. From row houses to postmodern architecture, Philadelphia has a variety of buildings to visit and take in.
Sustainability is an issue that has been on the forefront of many architects’ minds over the last decade. As a result, many schools have created sustainability-focused departments to prepare the next generation of architects to address these issues.
While these initiatives have been successful, there is a need for further reformation of accreditation requirements and design curricula to incorporate environmental literacy. Additionally, a critical reassessment of constructed territorial boundaries between disciplines must be accomplished to create an environment where issues of ecology and sustainability can be fully addressed.
In addition, there is a need for a robust cross-disciplinary communication between architects, engineers and planners to promote sustainable design. By educating all parties about the issues and responsibilities of sustainability, the building industry can move stride by stride towards a more sustainable future.