World Architecture Day: Will Andrews
This years theme for World Architecture Day is ‘Empowering the Next Generation in Participatory Urban Design’
What projects are you working on that align with this theme and why?
In reference to the future generation, I’d say the planning aspect of my most recent project is the best aligned, specifically the introduction of biodiversity. Snetterton Innovation Park is one of the first projects I’ve been on since its been introduced, where we are increasing biodiversity by 10%. This is a huge positive especially in the early stages, and hopefully demonstrates if early environmental considerations are made, they can contribute to sustainable urban growth.
Why is it important to take the views of younger architects into account when it comes to urban planning and development?
It’s important to build with longevity in mind, which doesn’t just apply to the buildings, as we also want to build an urban landscape which aligns with what the communities and generational values are. The urban landscape is ever changing financially and that reflects in flux of what communities want and need. I think reviewing what approaches we have in the architectural community is key, to see what’s working and what could be better, especially in the case of rapid urbanisation. I think we could work to create more interactive environments and think about the spaces in-between the buildings to really evaluate how urban planning can advance.
What are the biggest urban sustainability challenges facing architects?
I’d say that one of the biggest challenges we face as architects now is to be able to meet the demand for rapid urbanisation, as if you don’t provide the infrastructure to support this, it’s a catalyst for other negatives such as a reduction in greenspaces. For the future, with government introducing new housing and not investing the same into the surrounding infrastructure, we need to adapt and meet the demand to make sure that when we’re designing these cities, we’re taking everyone’s values into consideration to create a more diverse and interactive space for communities to thrive.