Category: Lecture

The Three Waves of Sustainable Design: Between Rhetoric and Practice

At the turn of the millennium, sustainability in architecture was far from the consolidated field we know today. It was, rather, a terrain of exploration—marked by debate, experimentation, and, at times, ideological tension.

In 2000, the architectural cooperative araB launched a practical course on ecological construction, supported by the European Leader II programme. Over the course of seven months—meeting one weekend per month in small rural towns in the Alicante hinterland—the initiative set out to do more than teach building techniques. Its ambition was twofold: to provide both theoretical and practical tools for ecological construction, and to foster local socio-economic development.

The course was structured around a series of fundamental questions: What is ecological construction? Which criteria should guide it? What materials are appropriate? How do we approach finishes, energy systems, and water management? These questions framed a holistic understanding of building as an environmental, technical, and social process. 

What emerged most powerfully, however, was not just knowledge—but debate.

With over fifty participants from across Spain—architects, builders, self-builders, and tradespeople—the course became a space where different visions of sustainability collided. On one side were those who associated “true” sustainability with a return to traditional, often rural ways of living: self-construction, local materials, and a deliberate distance from market-driven logic. On the other, those who argued for the necessity of integrating ecological construction into the professional and regulatory frameworks of contemporary architecture, making it competitive and viable within the existing system.

This tension could be simplified as a divide between advocates of earth, straw, and bamboo and those promoting industrial ecological materials such as wood-fibre panels, compressed earth blocks, or advanced masonry systems. Yet this binary opposition proved, over time, to be more porous than it initially appeared.

Further research—particularly through emerging digital resources—revealed a more nuanced landscape. Online platforms demonstrated that these two “worlds” often coexist and even collaborate: self-build communities, eco-villages, professionals, and institutions intersect in unexpected ways. International organizations and agencies were already bridging these domains, offering technical resources and fostering knowledge exchange across scales and contexts.

The experience of the course ultimately led to the publication of a book that combined documentation of the process with a guide to navigating online resources—an early recognition of the internet as a critical tool for expanding access to knowledge beyond local limitations.

Presented in the context of the Bioecolab conference, this work invites a broader reflection: what tools, knowledge systems, and resources are truly needed to support sustainable architectural practice today?

More than two decades later, the question remains open. Between rhetoric and science, between ideology and professional practice, sustainability continues to evolve—not as a fixed doctrine, but as an ongoing negotiation.

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Learning by Building: Straw Bale Construction and the Pedagogy of Practice

The lecture presents a reflective and experiential approach to sustainable architecture through the lens of self-construction with straw bales, developed within the activities of the cooperative araB. Framed around the idea of organizing a hands-on workshop, the content unfolds as both a pedagogical proposal and a technical exploration of ecological building systems.

At its core, the initiative integrates training, research, and practice. The workshop model emerges from accumulated experiences: courses on ecological habitat, collaborations with practitioners such as Iñaki Urkía, participation in research programs, and dissemination through publications and conferences. This trajectory situates straw bale construction not as an isolated technique, but as part of a broader cultural and technical shift toward sustainability.

The educational structure is notably comprehensive. As outlined in the course program , it spans from the concept of the “healthy house” to structural systems, finishes, water treatment, and energy strategies. This holistic framework reflects an understanding of architecture as an interconnected system where materials, environment, and human well-being are inseparable.

The workshop itself—documented through construction sequences —emphasizes key principles: lightweight structures, modular design, adaptability, and attention to material interfaces, particularly finishes and protection layers. The building process is conceived as both a technical and social act, highlighting participation and collective learning as essential components (p.14).

Beyond construction techniques, the document raises critical questions about the lack of regulation and testing frameworks (p.8), pointing to the need for further institutional recognition. It also situates straw within a wider ecosystem of natural materials—earth, bamboo, and plant-based insulation—supported by emerging international research networks and digital knowledge platforms .

Importantly, the text moves beyond purely technical considerations to engage with broader sustainability paradigms. Concepts such as life cycle analysis (LCA), indoor air quality (IAQ), and resource cycles (RRR) are introduced alongside reflections on participatory design processes and social efficiency. The comparison between conventional and participatory design models reinforces the transformative potential of self-building practices.

Ultimately, the lecture proposes a shift in architectural thinking: from product to process, from specialization to integration, and from passive consumption to active participation in the making of the built environment. Straw bale construction becomes, in this context, not only a material choice but a vehicle for rethinking how architecture is taught, practiced, and experienced.