Comments on: Sustainable energy, landscape architecture and the carbon cycle

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:06:46 +0000

ps. Another biofuel project….[ http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-architecture-upi-2m-proposes-biofuel-generating-vertical-farms-for-the-urban-world/ ]

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:01:26 +0000

Australian architects tend to be ahead of their times in many ways. Ken Woolley the architect of the Australian embassy in Thailand is not internationally recognised. However, this project suggests he deserves a higer profile!
[ http://www.thailand.embassy.gov.au/bkok/Abt4.html ] and [ http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://img.flipkart.com/bk_imgs/244/9781864700244.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flipkart.com/ken-woolley-ancher-mortlock-collectors/1864700246-q0x3fm002c&usg=__7hN_IdVmXuNXDrD_cP4jlIxzR6A=&h=150&w=108&sz=5&hl=en&start=31&tbnid=t4Z5uGQ4g0koTM:&tbnh=96&tbnw=69&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dken%2Bwoolley%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18 ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:00:24 +0000

Yes. I will look for an opportunity to put some more illustrations of Egypt in time of flood on the website but you can see an old painting of the Colossi of Memnon surrounded by water at the foot of this page: http://www.gardenvisit.com/history_theory/library_online_ebooks/ml_gothein_history_garden_art_design/egyptian_temple_gardens

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 06:25:16 +0000

Do you have any visuals to hand?

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:35:24 +0000

Ah yes. It is worth remembering that one of the reasons for building walled cities in Ancient China was to protect against floods. They used to heap earth behind the gates, making the city an island in the swirling flood waters. It is a pity there was not aerial photography at the time. A similar system was used in Ancient Egypt and there are a number of surviving paintings and photographs.

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:27:04 +0000

No (or maybe….perhaps they might want an interesting dive site?) Some parts of the Maldives will obviously be of heritage value and the community will wish to take strenuous efforts to preserve these buildings.

But there is always virtue in necessity. [ http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/06/10/water-building-resort-will-convert-air-into-purified-water/ ]

Rather than just buying a new island and everyone going there perhaps the people of the Maldives could re-invent a way of living with rising water?

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:51:58 +0000

Are you suggesting that the government of the Maldives designates the country as a marine archaeological reserve? Interesting.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:49:44 +0000

The situation in the Maldives certainly is looking very precarious….
[ http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-486824-male_vacations-i ]

“In Kandholhudhoo, a densely-populated island in the north of the Maldives, 60% of residents have volunteered to evacuate over the next 15 years – those remaining behind will eventually be compelled to do the same.

Tidal surges flood their homes every fortnight, and recently hammered a 3m (9.8ft) hole in their concrete flood defences.”
[ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3930765.stm ]

I wonder has the government of the Maldives seriously considered marine architecture as part of its investment strategy? [ http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=male,+maldives&sll=0.278348,73.447552&sspn=0.020427,0.027637&ie=UTF8&ll=4.187637,73.522053&spn=0.040746,0.055275&t=k&z=14 ]

[ http://www.inhabitat.com/2005/06/07/submarine-house/ ] and [ http://www.giancarlozema.com/ ]

By: Tom Turner

Tom Turner — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:36:09 +0000

I like the seawater idea and the Saharan solar power idea but can’t see them as very relevant to the UK’s energy problems. Also, the idea of Europe getting its future electricity supplies from giant solar farms in the Sahara involves one of the great questions about Europe’s destiny: will it be a re-creation of the Roman Empire – including all the land around the Mediterranean? Unless this were to happen, I cannot see Europeans taking the risk of investing their future in North Africa. Lets delay the time of reckoning by doing as much as we can with bicycles, insulation, green roofs, heat pumps, home-grown food, wood-burning stoves and thermal underwear. Other simple energy-saving measures include a ban on bottled water and the provision of municipal Freecycle centres. Then we can discourage overseas tourism by making our cities and landscapes so wonderful that we will all want to holiday at home. Just look at any Mediterranean beach or archaeological site: 90% of the visitors are bored stiff while getting their skin cancers.

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:39:55 +0000

I think the solar power project in the Sahara Desert looks particular beautiful, but the sea water greenhouse a little less so!

Solar power certainly seems to be something that can be done with little change to the landscape on a small scale (solar panels on every roof) but that certainly will not be enough, which will leave us wanting more energy from our neighbors…

that could certainly be a move toward a global non-carbon economy

http://www.350.org/

as I’m not sure the wind farms will be built quickly enough!

http://www.londonarray.com/about/