Grand design

John Gabriele has designs on a biophilic future.

- 

We have all heard it before: 'sustainability'.

It's the buzzword that has been largely overused in many sectors to emphasise the green credentials of governments, local councils, multi-national companies and sole traders.

Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Unfortunately, the word has become just another catchphrase and lost a lot of the power it rightly deserves in driving social, economic, and environmental change.

How does something so important to all of us caring for our local environment – and to a greater extent the entire planet – become so passé?

The answer may very well lie in our relationship with both the natural and built environments with which we interact daily.

Co-operation

Urban development is undoubtedly a necessity with population growth, and the need for housing steadily increases in line with that growth. Both greenfield sites and redevelopment of existing urban areas require careful planning and consideration, both of the environment and how the sites will impact the broader environment for years to come. A future focus is necessary, and landscape design should be the first consideration in urban design, not just an add on. Our connection to the land and environment is a primeval force that needs to be sustained to ensure continual physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Governments and developers should prioritise people over profit, not chase profit at all costs. Urban designer Jan Gehl sums it up beautifully. Gehl emphasises that the urban landscape should be experienced through the five human senses and at the speed of walking. He believes urban development should prioritise landscape design to ensure physical and mental well-being. Gehl's philosophy is encapsulated in his statement: "First life, then spaces, then buildings: the other way around never works."