Learning Organisms, Floral Collectives
By Meriem Sakrouhi
Date
September 12, 2019
Architects and urban planners are challenged by the need to adapt their “software” to the changes that are going on in our societies: climate change, energy problems, technological evolutions (especially AI) and the profound transformations of lifestyles and urban models. Today, cities must not only deal with vulnerabilities and dysfunctions related to major urban deficiencies, but also with extreme and unavoidable climatic disturbances that will affect an increasingly high population.
We believe that the world cannot continue to use our environment and energy as it has to produce urban spaces. The spaces themselves must also be approached in new ways. Indeed, the obvious convergence between urban growth and climate change is at the root of a “new culture of architecture and urbanity”.
This new paradigm makes resiliency and sustainability the “soul” of tomorrow’s city and home. Thus, Meriem Sakrouhi and her partner at 33M, Mario Serrano, started a line of research about the creation of new spatial typologies that respond to the mutating technology and social needs.
For the design of this new building type, they have engaged community leaders that are knowledgeable in the fields of sustainability, resiliency, and community engagement. Their goal is to mimic biological models to achieve higher efficiencies through the use of high-tech tools such as 3D printing and AI robotics. This video presents key insights from their conversations with community leaders and how these ideas nurture their design process. The video has been selected for the AIA Film Challenge 2019 in which the public can participate for the People’s Choice Award. Voting is open until September 27th, so be sure to share your support before then!
Meriem Sakrouhi is a Moroccan architect, project designer and US East Visualization Lead at IBI Group. She started her architectural studies at ETSAB in Barcelona and graduated with honors from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Meriem is fluent in five languages thanks to her diverse background. She has filed two temporary patents, won several awards, advised a UC Berkeley Master student’s thesis, and reviewed and judged projects for groups such as the American Institute of Architects as well as Pratt Institute’s Master Program.
Alongside Mario Serrano, Meriem started 33M, a line of research focused on designing a sustainable and resilient building typology that adapts to the social and climatic needs of today.
