Can traditional architecture help build a ‘more resilient future’
The Cake Drove Women’s Resource Centre in Fiji, which won the Australian Good Design Award in 2020 [Courtesy of James Mepha m striker
Pacific islands are looking to tradition to help address the climate crisis that threatens their existence.
Suva, Fiji – From the Arctic to the Pacific, Indigenous communities have used unique design and building techniques for millennia to help them survive in some of the most challenging environments on Earth.
Now, as the UN World Meteorological Organization confirms that 2023 is ‘almost certain’ to be the hottest year on record, traditional architecture’s potential is gaining international attention – for its potential to allow humans to live in a hotter world but also because it has less impact on the planet.
Pacific islands are looking to tradition to help address the climate crisis that threatens their existence.
Suva, Fiji – From the Arctic to the Pacific, Indigenous communities have used unique design and building techniques for millennia to help them survive in some of the most challenging environments on Earth.
Now, as the UN World Meteorological Organization confirms that 2023 is ‘almost certain’ to be the hottest year on record, traditional architecture’s potential is gaining international
attention – for its potential to allow humans to live in a hotter world but also because it has less impact on the planet.
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Australian architect Peter Rankin has managed the architecture firm, Aspirin Design in Fiji’s capital Suva, since 2007.
“Climate change is having a major impact on the built environment,” he told Al Jazeera. “From more frequent and
severe natural disasters to rising temperatures and changing precipitation
patterns. The construction and operation of buildings account for a significant portion of global energy consumption
and greenhouse gas emissions, making sustainable building practices a critic
component of efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.”
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