Author:

Keywords:

Arts & Humanities, Architecture, ENERGY, 1201 Architecture, 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, 3301 Architecture

Abstract:

While sustainability has become a mainstream concern in design thinking and practice, the debate is fragmented and the concept of sustainable architecture remains contested. We interpret this as symptomatic of a widening gap between architectural academe and the world of practice. Inspired by the “pluralist imagination,” we propose a meta-framework based on analyses of competing discourses at three levels: conceptual, performance, and pedagogical. With the intention of inspiring a critical attitude among designers, the value of such a framework lies in its ability to promote dialogue across theoretical boundaries in order to impede both notions of theoretical determinism and panacean interpretations of proliferating sustainable practices.