Sustainability in architectural design is what fuels the creativity at Ten Directions Design. By employing practices like Not-So-Big House Approach, Sustainable Design, and Indoor Air Quality, the firm lives up to its name, taken from the ten directions of Buddha Land described in one of the principal works of Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra. The name implies multidimensionality and thus refers to the three-dimensional nature of this ‘green’ architectural firm’s work. Combining the analysis of a house with an understanding of the needs of the client, the firm creates a space that is a delight for the client and is friendly to the environment.
Innovation
Ten Directions Design specializes in designing homes, residential remodels, and interior solutions with a sense of history, environment, and originality. The innovation lies not only in making the architecture ‘green’ but also in providing this service at a price that makes it affordable to an average person.
The firm is committed to enhancing the environment and, at worst, to cause no harm. It bases its design practices on a few key principles: Environmental Psychology, Pattern Language, and-true to its name-Contemplative Design.
Environmental Psychology examines the interrelationship between environments and human behavior. The field posits a model of human nature that defines environmental conditions conducive to decent and creative behavior and thus encourages the design, management, and restoration of environments that enhance reasonable behavior.
Similarly, as a structured methodology for describing sound design practices within particular domains and the interrelationship of patterns within those domains, Pattern Language enables one to find out what makes successful designs, buildings, and places tick - what makes great places truly great.
Finally, Contemplative Design brings an open perspective to bear on the world of the senses-a "space-awareness" with its roots in the world of meditation. It purports to align perception of the world with natural forces. The integration of so many varied perspectives and forces makes it a "mandala" approach, connected to the five fundamental life-giving energies of Buddhism, each of which is in turn related to its own distinct color, element, or season.
The fundamental building blocks of ‘green architecture’ are energy savings, materials reuse, and the "small but beautiful" design methodology-also known as the "not so big house". Historically, because of the small size of the market for sustainable building products, the prices have remained expensive which cannot be rectified till the market expands, creating a catch-22 situation. The process of employing green practices requires continual innovation and creativity, amply exhibited by Ten Directions Design. Some of the common obstacles are the availability of the products as well as the team of people adept at such construction. For example, specified SIPs (structurally insulated panels made of plywood over insulation) entails a completely different method of home construction. There are no studs involved, and everything goes up at once requiring special knowledge and abilities in the construction team. Similarly, other green materials and sustainable building features can also raise implementation issues like the use of high fly-ash content. Fly-ash is an electrical utility waste product, and most concrete suppliers have to go out of their way to fabricate it. But the future is not bleak. With the determination of firms like Ten Directions Design progress is being made. Low-cost materials like creck (low-maintenance synthetic deck material made of wood-mill shavings and recycled plastic from soda bottles) are becoming very popular and the number of construction companies and artisans committed to green building practices and conservation techniques, such as job-site waste recycling, is rising steadily.
Other innovative materials used by the company in designing homes include linoleum flooring made from plant material, locally produced handmade glass tiles produced from recycled sources, light fixtures with instant on, no-hum, color corrected fluorescent light bulbs, low VOC paints for primer and finish coats to minimize off-gassing and use of a one hour timer switch for the exhaust fan to prevent mold build-up.
Specifically to reduce use of fossil fuels and increase energy efficiency, the firm uses and prescribes R-Value windows using heat mirror suspended coating film, advanced framing to minimize thermal bridging, and above-code levels of insulation. For resource conservation use of FSC certified lumber, use of recycle-content materials, and selectively picking used items such as fixtures and storage area cabinets are some of the creative practices. The use of low or no toxic materials is also recommended like avoiding urea formaldehyde glues in interior-use plywood and fiberboard and using phenyl- formaldehyde glues that are typically used in exterior applications. Finally job-site recycling like encouraging street side pick-up or recycling of used materials is encouraged by the firm.
Impact
Green Architecture has myriad environmental benefits associated with reuse and low-impact living. It also is lucrative business proposition for consulting firms like Ten Directions Design because of the burgeoning customer base as a result of growing awareness. USGBC estimates the growth of green building products and services between $10.2 billion and $20.5 billion by 2010. As one of the firsts in the sector of green architecture, Ten Directions Design has captured the need for energy cost reductions and growing sensitivity toward the environment in the customer base. They continue to grow as a firm and as a responsible entity hoping to keep the environment clean and green.
Inspiration
The creative practices used by Ten Directions Design add to the sustainability of the environment, while also adding to the comfort of the home and the overall value of a particular design. This desire to contribute to a higher goal is evident when the company’s founder articulates his belief that good architecture has to go beyond just pleasing yourself and the client. It has to accommodate and contribute to the human experience not simply in terms of the client’s delight but also as minimizing the impact on the environment.
The World Inquiry editorial team edited this profile from the original submission of the interviewer or other source. The views expressed do not necessarily represent Case Western Reserve University, the Weatherhead School of Management or the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. More >>
