Architects Declare is an international network of architectural practices committed to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. Launched on 30 May 2019 by the then 17 UK recipients of the Stirling Prize, Architects Declare quickly attracted hundreds of other architectural practices from across the UK. Australian Architects Declare launched in June 2019, the third country to join the movement.
Under the wider banner of ‘Construction Declares’, Architects Declare has now spread to more than 20 different countries, with over 5,000 signatories, and has been adopted by other built environment disciplines that have signed up to variations on the original 11-point declaration. Architects Declare is about encouragement, with every signatory organisation expected to self-govern its progress toward achieving the commitments it has made. On the basis that no single architect is currently meeting every part of the radical commitment to change, a firm ‘no public blame and shame’ policy is in place. (sourced 13/1/2022 from https://au.architectsdeclare.com/about)
The twin crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the most serious issue of our time. Globally, buildings and construction play a major part, accounting for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions whilst also having a significant impact on our natural habitats. Meeting the needs of our communities and staying within our ecological limits will require a shift in our behaviour as well as the design, delivery and performance of our buildings. Together with our clients, we will need to commission and design buildings, cities and infrastructures as indivisible components of a larger, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining system.
The research and technology exist for us to begin that transformation now, but what has been lacking is collective will. Recognising this, we are committing to strengthen our working practices to create architecture and urbanism that has a more positive impact on the world around us.
We will seek to:
Raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the urgent need for action amongst our clients and supply chains.
Advocate for faster change in our industry towards regenerative design practices and a higher Governmental funding priority to support this.
Establish climate and biodiversity mitigation principles as the key measure of our industry’s success: demonstrated through awards, prizes and listings.
Share knowledge and research to that end on an open source basis.
Evaluate all new projects against the aspiration to contribute positively to mitigating
climate breakdown, and encourage our clients to adopt this approach.
Upgrade existing buildings for extended use as a more carbon efficient alternative to
demolition and new build whenever there is a viable choice.
Include life cycle costing, whole life carbon modelling and post occupancy evaluation as part of our basic scope of work, to reduce both embodied and operational resource use.
Adopt more regenerative design principles in our studios, with the aim of designing
architecture and urbanism that goes beyond the standard of net zero carbon in use.
Collaborate with engineers, contractors and clients to further reduce construction waste.
Accelerate the shift to low embodied carbon materials in all our work.
Minimise wasteful use of resources in architecture and urban planning, both in quantum
and in detail.
In Australia, we as architects are aware that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long espoused the cultural, social, economic and environmental benefits embedded in the holistic relationship of Caring for Country.
Architects Declare Australia is organised by a volunteer group of 11 architects and built-environment professionals: Ranald Boydell, Verity Campbell, Antony DiMase, Caroline Pidcock, Andrew Shurman, Jo Best, Steffen Welsch, Tobias Busch, Claire Bowles, Sam Bowstead, and Talina Edwards. The group has no political or institutional affiliations. The Architects Declare initiative was originally launched in the UK on 30 May 2019. The group contacted the UK organisers to seek permission to replicate Architects Declare in Australia. The UK group were immediately supportive, creating the Australian version of the website for us to use. The UK organisers have now set up Construction Declares in response to the interest shown in replicating the declaration by other groups internationally. For further details please contact us on: [email protected]