Internationally renowned architect, and Director of Marra+Yeh Architects, Carol Marra has been designing sustainable and climate-resilient precincts, masterplans and homes for more than 20 years. Now, she has summarised her learnings in a new toolkit for architects.
The toolkit, aptly titled Design for Climate, Design for Change, addresses the key challenge facing architects today — designing buildings to withstand the effects of climate change, including extreme heat, storms, floods, and bushfires.
“I created this toolkit to fill what I saw as a gap in the current literature available to architects,” Marra says.
“Here, readers can access highly practical yet strategic steps to help fortify their designs against a range of extreme weather events.”
The toolkit contains research on historical precedents, contemporary case studies, and expert analysis of climate-resilient design strategies. Diagrams, drawings, and photography convey key concepts of climate-responsive design to enhance comfort, privacy, and liveability, with a particular focus on housing in a range of environments.
Drawing from nature's own resilience, the toolkit advocates for a design approach that works alongside natural systems and processes. By understanding and applying how ecosystems adapt, architects can create buildings that not only withstand but integrate with their surroundings.
Marra’s philosophy honours the wisdom of First Nations Australians, who have long managed the land with deep respect and understanding of its power.
According to her, as nature calls for our active participation to ensure its wellbeing, architecture can reflect these changes by responding thoughtfully, embracing opportunities, and adapting to challenges.
Design for Climate, Design for Change is freely available to everyone online. To obtain your copy click here.
Image: Marra+Yeh shelter/Brett Boardman
