DESIGN: e2 {DESIGN: E-SQUARED}: DEEPER SHADES OF GREEN {FIRST SEASON FINALE} (TV)
Summary
This documentary series, narrated by Brad Pitt, explores the value of "sustainable design" in architecture and "the economies of being environmentally conscious." This episode, which questions how one can live in harmony with the earth as its population soars, examines the work of three "green" visionaries. First, the program looks at Ken Yeang, a Malaysian architect who thought "an urban environment could became a living, breathing organism." Yeang details how prosthetic limbs led to his realizations of a more harmonious way to design projects. Dr. Christopher Chia, former CEO of the National Library Board, details how Yeang's design for the Singapore library was selected due to a bioclimatic design that showed how a structure could benefit humans as well as indigenous plants and animals. Yeang and Chia discuss the clever environmental aspects of the design, and how it organically integrates nature without disrupting it. Next, the program look at William McDonough, founder of William McDonough + Partners, and co-author of "Cradle to Cradle," a book which studies how goods and services can generate social and ecological values. McDonough describes the "bad design" of a typical water bottle before wondering how one can find "kinship with the natural world." He further discusses "industrial re-evolution," his battle against the industrial revolution in which he hopes to implement ideas to design products that are perpetually recyclable. Finally, the program examines Dr. Werner Sobek, an engineer/architect in Stuttgart, Germany, who uses materials that respect the environment. Sobek discusses his residence, R128, which uses minimal materials and generates no emissions. Next, he details his R129 prototype, where a human would live "completely off the grid," in harmony with nature. He wonders if he could make the shell-like prototype completely independent from public utilities, like a space station. At the Institute for Lightweight Studies at Stuttgart University, Sobek teaches students how one can learn to design buildings of the future with minimal weight structure. This program includes one show-sponsored commercial.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: November 30, 2005
- RUNNING TIME: 0:26:36
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:91473
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; Environment; Architecture, Modern
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 2006-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Autodesk technological services
CREDITS
- Karena Albers … Executive Producer
- Tad Fettig … Executive Producer, Director
- Eva Anisko … Producer
- Midori Willoughby … Producer
- Julie Kirsner … Associate Producer
- Adam Elend … Field Producer
- Elizabeth Westrate … Series Producer
- Mark Decena … Writer
- Eric Holland … Music by
- Brad Pitt … Narrator
- Christopher Chia
- William McDonough
- Werner Sober
- Ken Yeang