Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ

Think Globally: “The architect must be a prophet…a prophet in the true sense of the term…if he can’t see at least ten years ahead don’t call him an architect”
Frank Lloyd Wright

Act Locally: Maximize Longevity-Design for Durability and Adaptability
(from Environmental Building News Volume 4, No.5, 1995)

“The longer a building lasts, the longer the period of time over which the environmental impacts from building it can be amortized. Designing and building a structure that will last a long time necessitates addressing how that building can be modified to satisfy changing needs. Sample strategies include: specify durable materials-this is usually even more important than selecting low-embodied-energy materials. Design for easy maintenance and improvements. Allocate an appropriate percentage of building funds for ongoing maintenance and improvements. Consider aesthetics during design, and whether a particular style is likely to remain popular-the idea of “timeless architecture.” Cost implications: Though not necessarily more expensive in all cases, building for durability usually does require a larger initial investment.