Towards a future in sustainable structural design

Abstract

Architects and engineers are responsible of conceiving, designing and building efficient structures with a minimum use of energy and materials, taking care of the natural resources, where functional and beautiful buildings emerge to develop functional and beautiful cities and landscapes. They are responsible of creating a sustainable structural design. Nevertheless, the aim of many buildings in the contemporary architecture has turned into an obsession of creating unique and different works that pretend to obtain trademarks, without taking any care of the quantity and kind of materials. Structure has become into a slave of the form: Nothing counts but the form. No matter how expensive it is, no matter how many tons of steel, concrete or any other material are required to materialize those unique forms, let us impact the masses, even if the natural resources are reduced and damaged. If architects and engineers are looking for a real sustainable future in structural design, this is not the right way to keep on working. It is very important to consider these facts, otherwise the future generations will pay a very high bill because we have ignored and disrespected the available natural resources of our world today.