Regenerative Design
www.parkworld-online.com
Moving beyond minimising harm
Implementing Regenerative Design in the Theme Park and Entertainment Destination Industry – by Andrew Fastman, Associate at Cuningham
I
n the nearly three decades since sustainable principles have widely been in practice, there is no denying there has been a significant impact.
For example, according to Architecture 2030, the total global floor area of buildings rose by 17% from 2010 to 2017, while energy usage increased by only 6% during that time.
Additionally, in the United States, building sector CO2 emissions declined 27% from 2005 to 2020, even as building area increased significantly.
Further, sustainable buildings have made significant advances in utilizing materials with fewer harmful chemicals, providing healthier interior conditions, and consuming less water. That said, looking at our current energy use and resource consumption, it becomes clear the sustainable design movement has fallen short of the progress needed to prevent substantial environmental damage and climate change. We are on track to exceed warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius, while critical habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
In our practice, we have begun using ‘regenerative design’ to describe the desired outcomes of our work going forward. But what does this truly mean, and how can we as an industry ensure responsible design in the execution of a venue which is as exceedingly resource intensive as a theme park or entertainment destination? Cuningham, an architecture firm that has worked within the themed entertainment industry for decades, recently hosted TESS (Themed Entertainment Sustainability Summit) 2.X, where we came together with industry colleagues to discuss how we are rising to this global challenge. Drawing upon this deep experience and fresh insight, we explore below the importance of applying regenerative design practices to themed and entertainment venues now, some of the ways these principles are being successfully executed, and how the industry can bolster this commitment.
Shifting Language (and Mindset) from ‘Sustainable’ to ‘Regenerative’
‘Sustainable design’ evolved out of many prior movements. These include the environmental protection and energy efficiency movements of the 1970s, when practitioners used terms such as ‘solar architecture’ or ‘ecological design.’ In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” By the 1990s, sustainable design was associated with design and construction practices that minimized harm to the environment.
40
In line with continued growth and evolution, it has become clear that it is time to retire ‘sustainable’ from our vocabulary and instead pursue ‘regenerative.’
Regenerative design is distinct in that it seeks to not merely lessen the harm of new development, but rather to put design and construction to work as positive forces that repair natural and human systems. The language and terms we use influence our approach to the problems we face. Switching to regenerative enables us to more easily leave behind strategies that are no longer equal to the challenges we face.
Making Regenerative Design and its Benefi ts a Reality for Themed Destinations As with sustainability, a regenerative approach to design is a commitment to the idea of creating a better environment at all scales. A successful implementation in the themed and entertainment destination industry will drive value to the project owners as well as improve our stewardship of the planet, the health of our population, the vitality of our neighborhoods, and the enjoyment and education the project brings to its occupants and visitors.
It will be a gradual process as architects, designers, owners, operators, and other stakeholders learn more about what works and what does not, and as technologies advance.
Another factor to consider is how to – and whether to – work regenerative and eco-friendly messaging into theming where it does not naturally tie in, and how to leverage this branding in a way that does not compete or conflict with the main story or IP of a destination. The good news is, there are already examples of successful regenerative design. While nobody is able to do everything yet, there is not an aspect of operations or development that isn’t being improved by somebody.
That is why coming together as an industry and fostering an open dialogue is so critical to driving the regenerative design movement
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
