The Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is making a name for itself in California with its innovative approach to sustainable design. BIG’s philosophy, dubbed “hedonistic sustainability,” emphasizes the importance of creating visually appealing and functional designs that also prioritize environmental sustainability. Some of BIG’s notable projects in California include Google’s Bay View campus in Silicon Valley, featuring a “dragonscale” roof with 90,000 solar panels that produce seven megawatts of power.
Leon Rost, a BIG partner, believes that sustainability doesn’t have to come at the expense of aesthetics. “I believe in the state,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot from working abroad, and I feel I have something to offer, to be able to leverage the great design thinking that is emerging around the world and adapt it to California sensibilities.” Rost notes that essential to meeting parking and transportation challenges in urban settings is embracing various forms of “micro” transportation such as e-bikes and scooters.
BIG’s approach to sustainability prioritizes creating functional and beautiful designs that also benefit the environment. As Sundar Pichai, Google and Alphabet CEO, noted about the Bay View campus, “To me it’s kind of a statement, just showing that building solar roofs can be aesthetically incredible.” BIG’s projects, such as the Robert Day Sciences Center at Claremont McKenna College, feature indoor plazas and public spaces designed to be hubs for community activity.
The Breakline initiative in Los Angeles is another example of BIG’s innovative approach to sustainability. This project aims to prevent future wildfires with new infrastructure that includes attractive public amenities such as linear parks, mountain biking trails, and farming areas. By combining sustainability with aesthetic appeal, BIG is redefining the way we think about environmental design.
Image Courtesy: Times of San Diego
