Applying circular principles to the design process

Engineers must resist pressure to build environmentally unsustainable schemes if we want to be judged well by future generations, says 2020 Gold Medal winner and former Institution Vice-President, Mike Cook.

To design more sustainable buildings, big decisions need to be made early in the design process. Could laying out the structure to a 300mm planning grid reduce embodied carbon, enable the circular economy and still retain the uniqueness of design, asks David Treacy.

Caroline Field explores the relationship between ‘lean’ and ‘resilient’ design, and discusses how future designs should evaluate risks and incorporate strategies to mitigate and adapt to these.