Zachary Bielak
Rice University
Project
Creating Community: A Conversation with Design and Sustainability
Chile, Ghana, Sweden, India, Japan
As sustainability grows as a hot topic across the globe, variations in its definition are becoming more evident. Due to a variety of factors, communities on both national and local scales often emphasize certain aspects of sustainability over others. These different emphases subsequently influence what is designed sustainably, from consumer products and buildings to cities and national energy grids. Completing the circle, these designs then affect the communities in reply, either unifying or dividing them. During my Watson year, I will explore the depths of this conversation among design, sustainability, and community in five countries that are emerging leaders in different fields of sustainable design. By immersing myself in their communities, I will explore the reasons behind their different perspectives of sustainability and experience firsthand how sustainable designs are bonding communities together in turn.