Civilizations flourish along the edges of dynamic environmental systems. Many of our greatest cities are located on rivers, coastlines, or deltas where the confluence of nat¬ural systems provides abundant resources. Historically, the tremendous advantages of these locations enabled industry, commerce, and the culture of diverse inhabitants to thrive, despite the environmental risks of flood and storm. Vernacular building traditions, environmental awareness, and social resilience effectively tempered these substantial risks. However, over the past century we have manipulated and controlled natural systems to an unprecedented extent, maximizing urban stability. At what cost has stability been achieved? As the climate changes, energy becomes scarce, weather grows harder to predict, and sea levels rise, we are experiencing the limitations of this paradigm of control. How can environmental design research prepare us to evolve our inhabited landscape and build with change?
EDRA45: Building with Change will focus on new research methods and design strategies for the human habitation of our dynamic environment. Without sacrificing the principles of safety, comfort, justice, cognition, and choice, how can design lead to innovative ways of accepting, absorbing, and reacting to change? Does change present us with design opportunities? Can building with change, in fact, provide opportunity for even greater environmental, social, and economic health and stability? Conference themes will engage diverse approaches to building with change, from resisting dynamic environmental forces to accepting and accommodating them. Sessions will address a range of research and design methods including cognition and developing awareness of change, anticipatory planning for possible future scenarios, and design inquiry about dwelling in a dynamic landscape.