Clip-on Architecture

(image from Urban Omnibus)

Nice summary article presented on Urban Omnibus called Clip-on Architecture: Reforesting Cities.  It presents a succinct overview of the different systems that exist for greening and revegetating our existing built environment to make them more sustainable.  Overall, none of the strategies are particularly new to most design professionals, but representing them in a public friendly way is always appreciated, and the final graphic (see above) showcasing how the systems could work together in a more holistic fashion is an inspirational gem.  Here the strategies transform from simply 'clip-on' architecture to function more successfully as a comprehensive landscape solution.  Because, ultimately, green efforts matter only in regard to their scale of influence. Site-scale solutions solve site-scale problems while holding a potential to affect larger-scale concerns.  It is by coordinating these smaller interventions that these potential impacts are actualized to realize larger-scale change.  Together multiple site-scale solutions begin to produce a community change that can potentially affect a region and beyond.  Hopefully cities like LA can partner an interest in 'clip-on' solutions with an effective landscape-scale understanding to truly reforest our built environment in a profound way.