Many of you may know Schumacher College in Dartington. In 2004, I had the opportunity to demonstrate the difference between a morphogenetic approach (based on generative coding and unfolding), and the present-day, more technical approach to sustainable architecture (comparison and results of the two methods). Schumacher College had been considering a design for an extension. It was designed by an architect, Tim Ronalds, well-known especially for his skill in dealing with topics of sustainable design. Professor Brian Goodwin, head of the Masters program at Schumacher College, was unsure about the validity of the proposed design in ecological terms, and asked me to demonstrate what kind of project was likely to emerge if a morphogenetic approach were used instead. I agreed, and he then commissioned my firm, the Center for Environmental Structure, to make a first phase design for the extension.

Schumacher College as it now exists: The front of the building known as the Old Postern

Up the front path

Roofs from the back

Beginning from what is there now, We built this small model of the present Schumacher College and surroundings and topography, so that we could use it as a laboratory to investigate the impact of structure- preserving transformations.

Representation of the circle that one can feel in the land and (to the left of the building) the front of a possible terrace

This was the beginning of the morphogenetic process. We could see and feel a circle in the land, and knew it would be important in guiding the development. And, even in this earliest move, we suggested a curved terrace in front of the building, reflecting the circle, and making a place of repose.

A new courtyard beyond the library, though approximately rectangular, also echoes the circle, and especially in the top right hand corner follows a curved line.

The new courtyard and the circle in the land are integrated. The curve of the new courtyard replaces one edge of the circle. In addition, the buildings in the lower part of the picture are retained with their physical fabric only slightly modified, thus maintaining continuity with the character and structure which exists.

Looking up the front path of the real place. Then imagining how this view might be transformed to include a configuration in harmony with the wholeness that is there now.

Looking up the front path, making the main dome golden, seeing a forest cathedral (left rear) made from the tall trees at the back of the old Postern

A connective path to the forest garden behind the college

A path is made to the beautiful biological experiment known as the forest garden, thus creating a usable connection to the land lying north. The gate to this path passes under the golden dome.

Trying domes: Bankoku Sasagawa, one of the CES staff, working on the model

Trying different dome shapes and sizes, to find the best fit to the land and to the existing buildings. Even the small extensions visible in the upper buildings have common lounge areas approachable from the outside, and are also marked by small half-domes.

In the trees. Here we see the result of a policy of subtle adjustments, reaching out into the land in all directions, and maintaining connection with the trees and forest cover on surrounding land, so that it all becomes connected, and maintains its wholeness.

In this state of the model (previous image) you also see how the circle in the land has been memorialized in small megaliths, standing about 30 feet apart, and standing upright in the grass, to mark the original circle that was observed. Now we had to find out how big these stones should be!

Testing a mock-stone in place for one of the circle stones

Testing a smaller stone (visible behind the twigs) which fits better and is less aggressive

A sketch of a new library re-using an existing building, but modifying it to honor the land, and made in a way that has some spirit -- with green glass and plant-like tracery to form windows of a special character reflecting the values and philosophy of the College.

Testing the appearance of the new Library windows on the model

Director of Schumacher College, Anne Phillips and Chris studying the model together

Model of the original Ronalds sketch design (first commissioned by Schumacher college). We made this model, in three dimensions, and at the same scale as our model, so that the two could be compared. The white area bottom left of the photograph, represents the footprint of the existing Old Postern building. We did not have the resources to duplicate a second Postern mode for this design, and it was impossible to remove it from the other.

The architect’s rendition of his recently proposed sustainable design with re-use of rainwater, thermal walls, possible solar panels, roofs oriented to sun.

This design is more technical in orientation, but done with less concern for the wholeness of the land, and less awareness of the wholeness that is present in Schumacher College as it exists today. It pays less attention to the configuration that has grown over time, and for the subtle harmony to be achieved by building on what is there already. I believe it is also less sustainable in real terms and in terms of sustaining human life and plant life and money. It also involves needless destruction of existing buildings.

Architect’s own sketch of techno-scheme. It includes photovoltaic panels, reed-bed sewage treatment, sustainable energy and waste system . In theory it is sustainable. Indeed, it is plain that the architect made a very sincere effort to incorporate all available technical-sustainable thinking.

CES design overview, seen from the east

The Ronalds design, also seen from the east. A sustainable design, when it is made according to technological views of what is sustainable

Clearly this technical solution is intended to be sustainable in all sense of the word. What is remarkable is that, in comparison, this project appears gross and scaleless.

That is, I believe, a direct result of the approach used to produce the design. The technical approach focuses on a narrow range of issues and emphasizes them, above all others. The whole point of the morphogenetic approach is that it produces finely detailed structure, at a variety of scales, and produces sustainable and coherent wholes, at all the intermediate levels of scale, that are appropriate for human life, social life, biological life and ecological life. What the morphogenetic approach generates – if it is done correctly – will always be something like this:

A living result of morphogenesis A design made through a process which allows each step, slowly, slowly, to preserve the existing whole, and create something that fits into, and enhances, and makes precious, the existing land

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