In the lecture, which was did by Mike Jobes, he talked about “Future primitive”. This is the idea for design the sustainable community. Mike Jobes has been lead designer and project manger on a civic and community project since joining Miller Hull. In his lecture, he talked about a lot project or idea that he did or felt. These entire things he talked is very interesting, but there are four things from his lecture strongly attracts me: the Unfinished skyscraper, the combination of the old and new, the strip mall, and the habitat house of the immediate future.
First of all, I got a strong impact from the story of people are leaving at the unfinished skyscraper. In this skyscraper, there is no window, doors, finishes, and also elevator. So, residents made their own window, connect the water and electrical by themselves. There is no any concept of the skyscraper. We learned the skyscraper in the Arch202 lecture; it said the skyscraper is the symbol of the power, dominant, and status. In that skyscraper, there is no power, not dominant, not wealthy, but it still is the part of the community. Thus, I am wondering why is the skyscraper still can be the part of the community even there is no meaning as the skyscraper. Mike said the skyscraper became a part of the new economy, and part of the new city. Because it still located on the good position of the city so residents can get their job easier, also it is cheap, so it can provide the room for homeless people. In the video we saw during the lecture, one of the resident said “he loves this skyscraper”.
Next, he talked about the concept of using the old things in the new world, so it means the combination of the old and new. Today, in United States and most of the culture, people love new thing, and they do not want to use the old things. But they do not know how old things are cool, beautiful, and fashionable. Don't you think it would be super cool if you use the 80s’ car in today? I love it. For example, in Italy, which is one of the most fashionable countries in the world, they prefer to live at old house. In Italy, higher rent for old house and cheaper rent for new house. This idea is not just for cool, the most important things for this are “green”. The best way for construct sustainable and green building is “do not construct”. It means “reuse” or keep use the old building. Thus, we do not need new materials; we do not need spend extra energy for constructing. Thus I think use the old thing in today’s world would be a very cool thing.
Moreover, he talks about the project he did for the competition with the strip mall. The general idea for the competition is design the strip mall to be “green”. In his lecture, he said he loves strip mall because he loves the feeling. In the Arch202 lecture, we learned about the “Mall”. It said strip mall became less popular, and the covered huge entertainment mall becomes more poplar because people do not need to care about the weather, also it has more shops more choice, and fun. However, strip mall still have some better parts, such as convenient, familiar, and sustainable. In Mike’s design, he put the plants roof to cover entire mall, so it can resist the weather change, also it goes green because these plants provide the effect like sky garden. Also, it can keep the rain water, and reuse these rain water for the plants and other facilities, so it creates a very sustainable system.
Altogether, I think Mike gives me a very big impact of my idea of design. It gives me a lot of new knowledge. I think I would consider about how the building relate the people and environment, how the old things can adapt to today, and how can design the sustainable system for my future projects.
