Ruiz,Juan.Blanco

On Making Much More Out of Much Less for All

I have a lifelong fascination with and dedication to the architectures of humanity. This has fostered firm foundations in architecture, historic preservation as well as civic history and design. My dedication to the built environment has given me a knowledge about the intimate ties between building as sustainable forms of habitation and energy. Indeed the gathering and preparation of building materials as well as their subsequent assemblage into the multitude of architectures that have graced as they have defined the history of humanity are all expressions of energy. All express intimate local knowledges of how people can work with their environments to create habitats in harmony with nature.

Unfortunately, in modern times this balance has come to  be broken into ever greater pieces. The balance which the collectivity of humanity achieved through its diversity of action has been abandoned as small provinces of humanity have succeeded in transforming their limited local knowledge into an overarching mentality. This has created a scenario where everything and anything which does not look like the assumed barometer of order and development is a pathology. This has created one of the chief perpetrators of the destruction of the world. The built environments fostered today are so out of balance with any environment that they are responsible for over 50% of the carbon emissions that threaten the planet today

In my profession capacity I make use of all opportunities to reflect on reigning assumptions on the objectives and goal of “Progress” and “Modernization” as universal givens. I seek to create places both conceptual and physical which address the vital need to conserve a balance between built habitats and nature with the resources that it contains for all life on this planet. To do so requires one to question the assumed infallibility of the contemporary paradigms of Modernity, Progress and Development on building and habitats.

My work addresses the need to confront the all inclusive metropolitan paradigm for cities in the world today trough recognizing the role of autonomous micro centers if habitation capable of fostering a civic life fully the equal of the great pre automobile cities of the past. This entails fostering regional cities sensitive to transforming their micro environments into autonomous habitats.

Thus my architectures are designed to create buildings capable of generating power from geothermal, wind and solar sources necessary for their own needs as well as their surrounding quarters. This entails designing cities with their natural environments in order to assure aquifers as well as the local production of foods. I believe that any discussion on sustainable architectures and cities must also address the need to restore environments reduced to virtual brown-fields to new vitality. This must also look at building systems that can generate energy.

Dr Juan Blanco Ruiz