Design for an Empathic World: Reconnecting to People, Nature, and Self

Advocating a holistic approach to all aspects of living, “green architecture” pioneer Van der Ryn (Ecological Design) draws a sharp distinction between the veneer of “green” design and the actual art of designing ecologically. His wide-ranging approach, illustrated here with his own watercolors, unfortunately suffers from a meandering presentation. Van der Ryn calls for synthesizing the physical and psychological needs of the occupants with the natural features and limitations of the landscape—a blend he calls “empathic design.” At his most succinct, he offers detailed outlines of how designers should approach architectural sites, working with the landscape, and accommodating natural light and water availability for maximum energy efficiency. From the environmental impact of building materials to the disconnect between designers and dwellers, the author effectively, often poetically, conveys his message. Perhaps too poetically, because as the book veers from acronym-heavy examples of agencies and organizations working in ecological design to quotations from Deepak Chopra, its underlying principles become muddled and increasingly esoteric. Inspiring, and beautifully expressed as they are, the author’s argument that humanity needs to connect spiritually with its environment in order to realize a deeper inner life seems too subjective to dovetail with architecture’s demands for objective reality. Full-color illus. (Oct.)