Functional Environmental Design
Building for an Integrated Society
There is in the design of people’s space and dwelling habitat a purpose to meet the basic need of shelter and comfort. Environmental design is ingrained in human social systems. In ancient Greece, architectural constructions such as the stoa incorporated people into the city by providing a roof over their heads in public places. In the modern urban world the mall and other public spaces are social commercial complexes accessible only for such reasons as opposed to cultural exchanges and other social gatherings.
The eclectic styles of post-modern design emphasize functionality, and ideal creative design. But the most perfect design lies in the structure of a natural system. Great architects and designers such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius and Buckminster Fuller, imitated natural design and its principles applying them to human spaces to achieve functional perfection and simplicity in artificial creation.
Social Sustainability
It is an important aspect of social urban planning to connect design and environment in the most harmonious and integrated infrastructure. A more creative enhancement of existing design can transform existing urban centres into a safe and comfortable public space. Most modern environmental design and urban planning is very logical in its structural functionality and concern for sustainability; however it fails to secure social life-support and protect people from the elements.
A healthy society maintains and provides safety, support and shelter to itself, and a community where life is taken for granted is a hazardous terrain. Corruption stems from dysfunction, indifference and neglect, and to control social degradation, design, is the basic necessity required for favourable living conditions. Perhaps a more practical application of Marshall McLuhan's idea of a global village is a realistic option. The world is already connected through media it is only a matter of actual construction of design to create a global habitat.
Integrated Design
Mutual co-operation and involvement of the public in the social system depends on how structurally effective the design of the environment is and if it can suit people’s activities and needs directly; So that every public establishment is interconnected and integrated with other organizations, resources and work forces in a network of a specially constructed urban structure.
The holistic net of social accommodation is very natural, just as an organism has many integrated functions within it so does any organization. Efficient use of resources and power, control of pollution and social equality in social organization depends on development of innovative environmental design and a structure that could contain all these networks in a functional social, environmental system.
These include ecological and accessible transportation, public building and overall support for living conditions. The most important problem with society is not providing essential means for a healthy and productive life; a more efficient design concerned with providing sustenance to the public in the form of shelter, service, food and other essentials is a system that can be functionally maintained by people.
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