Record Details

Measuring Good Architecture: Long life, loose fit, low energy

European Journal of Sustainable Development

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Measuring Good Architecture: Long life, loose fit, low energy
 
Creator Langston, Craig
 
Description Good architecture is something that we all seek, but which is difficult to define. Sir Alexander John Gordon, in his role as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, defined ‘good architecture’ in 1972 as buildings that exhibit ‘long life, loose fit and low energy’. These characteristics, nicknamed by Gordon as the 3L Principle, are measurable. Furthermore, life cycle cost (LCC) provides a method for accessing theeconomic contribution or burden created by buildings to the society they aim to serve. Yet there is no research available to investigate the connection, if any, between 3L and LCC. Itmight be hypothesised that buildings with a high 3L index have a low LCC profile. If this is true, then LCC may be able to be used to assess ‘good architecture’.This paper uses acase study methodology to assess the durability, adaptability and sustainability of 22 projects that have won architectural design awards. The 3L criteria can bemeasured andcompared with average LCC per square metre using a long time horizon. The research is significant in that it tests a process to objectively assess what is commonly intangible and to determine if LCC is a suitable predictor of ‘good architecture’.Keywords: Sustainable urbanism, architecture, built environment
 
Publisher European Center of Sustainable Development
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2014-10-22
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
—
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.ecsdev.org/ojs/index.php/ejsd/article/view/186
10.14207/ejsd.2014.v3n4p163
 
Source European Journal of Sustainable Development; Vol 3, No 4: Special Issue; 163-174
2239-6101
2239-5938
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.ecsdev.org/ojs/index.php/ejsd/article/view/186/178
 
Rights This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.Authors of articles published in the European Journal of Sustainable Development retain copyright on their articles. Authors are therefore free to disseminate and re-publish their articles, subject to any requirements of third-party copyright owners and subject to the original publication being fully cited.  The ability to copy, download, forward or otherwise distribute any materials is always subject to any copyright notices displayed. Copyright notices must be displayed prominently and may not be obliterated, deleted or hidden, totally or partially.