Nature is one of the most profound sources of inspiration, shaping not just our creativity but also our approach to solving the challenges of the modern world. For me, this inspiration is deeply personal, rooted in the lush forests of British Columbia and extending to the towering peaks of the Himalayas. It’s from this connection with nature that my architectural practice finds its purpose: to design beautiful, functional buildings while addressing the urgent realities of climate change.
The Two Missions of Modern Architecture
As architects, we face two critical missions:
- Create Beautiful, Purpose-Driven Buildings
Buildings should enhance communities and meet the needs of those who live, work, and gather within them. They are not just structures but reflections of the people and places they serve. - Address the Environmental Impact of Construction
The built environment is responsible for an astonishing share of the world’s resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions—up to 39% globally and nearly 50% in North America. Comparatively, the entire transportation sector accounts for only 23%.
The truth is that even with our best efforts, most architectural practices, including ours, aren’t truly “sustainable.” That term often falls short when we consider the scale of the environmental toll from materials like concrete, steel, and masonry.
Why Materials Matter
The core of every building is its structure, traditionally made from four primary materials:
- Concrete: High carbon footprint.
- Steel: Another significant carbon emitter.
- Masonry: Energy-intensive.
- Wood: Renewable and carbon-sequestering but dependent on sustainable forestry practices.
Among these, wood stands out as the only renewable option that can help us achieve carbon-neutral or even carbon-negative buildings. For this reason, our practice has focused exclusively on timber construction since its inception.
The Case for Timber
Fifteen years ago, I wrote The Case for Tall Wood Buildings, advocating for timber as a viable alternative to traditional materials. Today, this idea is no longer fringe—it’s mainstream. Hundreds of tall wood buildings have been constructed worldwide, and thousands more are in progress.
However, timber is not without its challenges. Sustainable forestry is essential to ensure that using wood doesn’t deplete critical ecosystems or threaten biodiversity. Moreover, many regions with rapid population growth lack access to sustainable forestry resources.
This raises a crucial question: What comes next?
Introducing Five: The Future of Building Materials
The search for an alternative to “the big four” led us to develop Five, a new structural material inspired by nature, biotechnology, and modern engineering. Here’s what makes Five revolutionary:
- All-Organic Composition: Made from plant fibers such as grass, bamboo, waste wood, and forest undergrowth.
- Resource Efficiency: Designed using advanced computer modeling to minimize waste.
- Custom Robotics: Allows every building component to be uniquely shaped for maximum efficiency, reducing unnecessary material use.
The result? Structures that mimic the organic forms found in nature—branches, trees, and vascular systems—while being stronger, lighter, and more sustainable than conventional materials.
Why Shape Matters
Traditional buildings are boxy because it’s cost-effective to cut concrete, steel, and wood into rectangles. However, nature doesn’t work that way. Branches, tree trunks, and other natural forms distribute forces in ways that are far more efficient.
When we use structural stress modeling, we can see the inefficiencies in traditional boxy designs, often wasting 27% or more of the material. By embracing organic shapes and using materials like Five, we can reduce waste and create lighter buildings that require fewer resources overall.
A New Way Forward
Five isn’t just about reducing waste—it’s about rethinking how we approach architecture entirely:
- Less Impact, More Beauty: Buildings designed with Five are lighter on the planet yet create healthier, more inspiring spaces for communities.
- Carbon-Sequestering Design: These structures actively combat climate change by storing carbon rather than emitting it.
- A Biological Revolution: Moving away from industrial materials, Five represents the beginning of a new era driven by biomaterials and nature’s wisdom.
Listening to Nature
As I walk through the forests of British Columbia, I imagine a future where cities are built with the same efficiency and elegance as the trees around me. Buildings that use fewer resources, leave a smaller footprint, and nurture the communities they serve.
This isn’t a distant dream—it’s an achievable reality. Biomaterials are already being developed, and every day, new innovations bring us closer to a world where architecture works in harmony with nature.
The solution is clear: We must let nature teach us how to build.
Together, we can create a future where architecture doesn’t just serve humanity—it serves the planet.