Regeneratives Design: Anheben von Bildungsräumen mit Lumion
Wie Ford Architects nachhaltiges und belastbares Design angehen
Auswirkungen auf die Bildung
Ford Architects, ein in Denver ansässiges Architekturbüro mit Schwerpunkt auf Bildung und gemeinschaftsorientierten Projekten, steht als Leuchtturm für achtsames regeneratives Design. Ihr Ethos, aus der Vergangenheit zu lernen, während sie für die Zukunft entwerfen, wird durch ihr Engagement für die Verbesserung des öffentlichen Raums ergänzt.
Das Team nutzt Lumion, um seine umweltverträglichen Lösungen unter Berücksichtigung lokaler Kontexte, kultureller Nuancen und des Klimas zum Leben zu erwecken. Wir haben uns mit Alan Ford, einem der Gründer, und Emma Meriwether, der Architektin, zusammengesetzt, um ihren Ansatz zu besprechen. Lesen Sie weiter, um zu erfahren, wie Ford Architects die Visualisierung nutzt, um ihren Kunden Geschichten zu vermitteln.
Tell us about your firm’s background and where you are today.
Alan: The firm was founded in 2007. Our primary focus is on education – and with over 30 years of experience in this project type, we have a rich history in the field and have completed many local builds. In terms of project types, my primary focus is on buildings from early childhood education (ECE) through 12th grade, while Kathryn, our CEO, leads other commercial projects. There’s a big need for early childhood projects: the sector is underfunded. We’re excited to be contributing in this field.
We are a small practice, currently with eight members – we like this size as it suits our operational style. Our office is located in a development called Taxi, a creative community with around a thousand people, including architects, filmmakers, graphic designers, and other professionals. We're based in the RiNo area of Denver, a really cool up-and-coming neighborhood.
Your firm is clearly passionate about sustainability and regenerative design. We understand you’re publishing a new book that relates to these topics, could you shine a light on that for us?
Alan: The new book, "Creating the Regenerative School," written with co-authors Kate Mraw and Betsy del Monte, focuses on sustainable and regenerative design, incorporating case studies from around the world and interviews with experts. It’s actually the second edition of a book I did in 2007, “Designing the Sustainable School.”
For the original project, we used case studies from firms all over the world, conducting research to find the best projects that were successfully engaging in sustainable ideas. There wasn't as much to work with back then. Over the intervening years, we aimed to use science and evidence-based research as much as possible because our clients in the school sector are very risk-averse and first-cost focused. We needed to show positive educational outcomes to sell these ideas. The main focus previously was on daylighting and daylight harvesting: an empirical study from California showed academic benefits from using natural light in schools.
This time around, we delved deeper into research, including over 50 hours of interviews with architects. We organized conferences on early childhood, bringing in experts from diverse fields, including doctors, psychiatrists, neuroscientists, and quantum physicists as keynote speakers. Architects excel at translating these ideas into architecture, so it was more about amplifying what these thinkers are already doing in their fields.
What does "regenerative" mean to you?
Alan: It’s all about continuous mindful improvement of spaces. Here’s an example: Leonard Mlodanow’s book "Subliminal" demonstrated through fMRI scans how the brain responds to the environment and how crucial it is. Numerous other studies have shown the profound impact of our environment on us. We’ve applied these findings to education spaces.
This exploration is reflected in the new book, focusing on what we need to do to address the climate crisis and how we can design schools more intelligently to improve environmental and community health. This is where the term “regenerative” in the title comes from.
What kind of projects do you cover within the book?
Alan: We included over 40 case studies in this edition, featuring large and small projects from Europe, Africa, China, and across the US, particularly along the coasts where these concepts are advancing more quickly. We interviewed numerous subject matter experts and included articles on themes related to regenerative design, such as health and safety. We wrote and edited all the content and did all the graphic design ourselves, making it a much more holistic effort. Most of the visuals featured in the book were made with Lumion.
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Was hoffen Sie, dass sowohl das Buch als auch die Arbeit, die Ihr Team bei Ford leistet, dazu beitragen werden?
Alan: Ich sehe das Buch als Aufruf zum Handeln. Wir haben heute die Werkzeuge und das Wissen, um die kurz- und langfristigen Auswirkungen dessen, was wir tun, zu verstehen. Die Entscheidungen, die wir beim Entwerfen treffen, haben dauerhafte Auswirkungen und können entweder dem besseren Wohle dienen oder teilweise schaden. Die im Buch vorgestellten Forschungsergebnisse und Fallstudien sind Beispiele dafür, wie wir es heute auf der Grundlage von Best Practices besser machen können. Die Verantwortung für den Schutz der Gesundheit und des Wohlergehens ist in Architekturlizenzgesetzen und -standards kodifiziert, die von Berufsverbänden wie dem American Institute of Architects festgelegt wurden. Diese Rahmenbedingungen stellen sicher, dass wir die aktuellen Best Practices einhalten und unsere Pflicht gegenüber der Öffentlichkeit einhalten. Im Wesentlichen hoffen wir, dass das Buch dazu dient, die Erwartungen an Best Practices in Lernumgebungen zu erhöhen.
Alan Ford
Direktor, Ford Architects
Visualisierung ist das Markenzeichen dessen, was wir tun – wenn wir nicht kommunizieren können, dann sind wir mit unseren Projekten nicht erfolgreich.
Alan Ford
Direktor, Ford Architects
Lumion hat unsere Kundenpräsentationen und Projektgenehmigungen erheblich verbessert, indem es uns ermöglicht, realistischere und reichhaltigere Bilder zu erstellen.
Alan Ford
Direktor, Ford Architects
Visualisierung ist das Markenzeichen dessen, was wir tun – wenn wir nicht kommunizieren können, dann sind wir mit unseren Projekten nicht erfolgreich.
Alan Ford
Direktor, Ford Architects
Lumion hat unsere Kundenpräsentationen und Projektgenehmigungen erheblich verbessert, indem es uns ermöglicht, realistischere und reichhaltigere Bilder zu erstellen.
How did your firm start using Lumion?
Alan: We used other visualization software before Emma introduced us to Lumion.
Emma: I was on the student version until I graduated. I’m a Lumion native, and have used it to portray my ideas pretty much since day one – it’s safe to say I grew up with it. Here at Ford, I was the one to show everybody how it works and how to use it. Since then, it's just flourished. I'm impressed how the software has evolved over time and excited to see what the future brings, and ray tracing implemented in L2023 changed the game for me.
Wie hat Lumion Ihre Arbeitsweise verbessert?
Alan: Es hat unsere Kundenpräsentationen und Projektgenehmigungen deutlich verbessert: Lumion hat es uns sofort ermöglicht, realistischere, reichhaltigere Bilder zu erstellen. Für Aspen Burlingame zum Beispiel erhielten wir die volle Zustimmung der Stadt und des Rates, teilweise dank unserer Visualisierungen.
There’s a cohesive style to the renders you do at Ford. Would you say you have a certain signature style? How has it developed?
Emma: That is true, I do have a certain way of doing things with Lumion. I developed my style at Ford, but I didn't have one before. I believe it’s a combination of both a lot of hours of practice and finding what works for me over a long period of time. My style developed through trial and error.
Emma Meriwether
Architekturdesigner, Ford Architects
Die Ausführung ist das Beste: Lumion hat die Kommunikation von Design revolutioniert.
What’s your perspective on the importance of visualization?
Emma: I always say that the people around me who aren't exposed to architecture don't really understand the 2D plans and how spaces work. For this reason, visualization is essential, especially in architecture, because it tells the whole story and shows exactly what a space is going to look like. It also gives the architect another medium to share their ideas – because we can see it and understand it, but not everybody can.
Alan: Indeed. Also, you have to make design decisions in incremental phases. I think it's important to use visualization in the early stages of a project because then the client knows what they're getting. Then, as you proceed along the project, there's fewer surprises because they've already seen what it looks like. But the other aspect of this is the intangible: budgets are stretched so thin on school projects that the only way we can really elevate their expectation is through tools like Lumion. And once people see it, they are much more inclined to invest in it and figure out a way to make it happen. If you don't use visualization software, then you’re just leaving them to rely on their imagination, which doesn’t promise much. Visualization is the hallmark of what we do – if we can't communicate, then we don't succeed with our projects.
What’s the best part about using Lumion for your impactful projects?
Emma: The execution is the best part of it all. It’s so easy to import a model from Revit with LiveSync and export it almost instantly, the render ending up looking as if you spent hours on it even when you didn’t. Lumion has revolutionized how we communicate design.
What is your vision for the future of architecture – and in particular regenerative design practices?
Alan: My vision for the future of architecture is rooted in regenerative design, where buildings and systems don't just sustain but actively restore and renew their surrounding environments. I hope that it will promote the health and well-being of both ecosystems and human communities, aiming to create positive outcomes that enhance both resilience and vitality of natural and social systems.
I see a future where architecture is adaptive and resilient, centered around the needs of individuals, and capable of accommodating a range of preferences. Imagine buildings made from simple, natural materials, much like how healthy food is made with just a few natural ingredients. These structures would be designed for multiple purposes, easily adaptable, and capable of being fully or partially demountable without leaving behind any waste.
The built environment and nature will be interwoven, with architecture that’s deeply connected to its place — respecting cultural and social context, history, local climate, and ecology, all while using locally sourced labor and materials. Instead of assembling parts from hundreds of vendors, there would be a more unified approach to design and construction, simplifying the process and focusing on the bigger picture. This means considering the broader impact of each architectural decision, looking beyond immediate needs to prioritize the long-term. It also means creating spaces that are not only functional but beautiful — environments that are human- and nature-centric, places that people will cherish and maintain for generations.
Ihr kreativer Begleiter
Ford Architectswidmen sich ihrer regenerativen Designphilosophie und transformieren Bildungs- und Gemeinschaftsräume projektweise. Mit Lumion an seiner Seite definiert das Team neu, was es bedeutet, achtsam zu gestalten. Um mehr über ihre Arbeit zu erfahren, lesen Sie ihr bevorstehendes Buch "Creating the Regenerative School". Probieren Sie Lumion kostenlos aus und sehen Sie, wie es auch Ihre eigenen architektonischen Visionen zum Leben erwecken kann.
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