Material Health: Design Frontiers

The UN identifies chemical usage as a global concern, contributing to 11% of global emissions. Design professionals must embrace and front solutions for human and planetary health threats, such as Material Health, which argues for new paths and practices in architecture and design to create healthier futures.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 24 November 2022
Publisher: Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd

The United Nations (UN) has identified chemical usage as a significant global concern, posing detrimental effects on land, water, and air, adversely impacting both human health and environmental well-being. Carbon pollution stemming from the production of building materials accounts for an estimated 11% of all global emissions. The growing populations and the demand for extensive new building and infrastructure projects exert exponential pressure on a planet already grappling with limited resources, an overwhelming accumulation of waste, and a concerning imbalance between natural and human forces. For design professionals, the discussion of materials is unavoidable, as architectural and design communities hold a pivotal position in embracing and pioneering solutions for human and planetary health threats.

In the context of the climate crisis, Material Health emerges as a crucial exploration of critical topics related to material health. It argues for an urgent need for new pathways and practices in architecture and design to foster healthier futures for all. From a multi-disciplinary perspective, the book provides an overview of how design is taught and shapes our future, and how it could be profoundly transformed through a deeper understanding of the fundamental issues threatening our planet and human species.

The book begins by establishing two central themes that serve as the foundation for the work being undertaken in the field of material health: the significance of old and new indigenous understandings of our planet, and the climate crisis. Six thematic chapters follow, each delving into the intersectional and complex nature of material health. These chapters present examples of material health and innovative, sustainable materials, showcasing their applications. The contributors engage in critical reflection on the challenges of socially engaged research and practice, while also advocating for necessary changes to architecture.

Through its comprehensive approach, Material Health offers valuable insights into the relationship between materials, health, and the environment. It underscores the importance of designing with a conscious awareness of the impact of materials on human well-being and the planet's ecosystems. By highlighting the need for sustainable and socially responsible practices, the book empowers design professionals to contribute to the creation of a more resilient and sustainable future.

In conclusion, Material Health serves as a timely and essential contribution to the discourse on material health and its implications for architecture and design. By advocating for a deeper understanding of the fundamental issues threatening our planet and human species, the book empowers design professionals to embrace and pioneer solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future.

Dimension: 250 x 190 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781848226173