An Architect's Guide to Designing for Sustainability - Part One
In the CAA Practice Policy document of June 2000 reference was made to a number of strategies that could be applied to promoting the CAA and addressing the concerns of its members. Much has happened since then – the most significant being the events of September 11, 2001 – and the political and socio-economic environment is no longer the same. It behoves us therefore to recalibrate our policies to determine their relevance in the light of these new and emerging influences.
The most significant of these influences is the release of a new Vision for the Commonwealth. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Coolum, Australia in March 2002, Commonwealth leaders were able to give consideration to the High-level Review Group (HRG) report. An outcome of this report was the birth of A New Vision for the Commonwealth.
The future of the CAA must be inextricably bound up in the sentiments expressed in this new vision in the sense that the activities that the CAA funds through the grant from the Commonwealth Foundation must be aligned with the values of the Vision if it wishes to be a relevant role-player within the Commonwealth.
Central to this Vision is the recognition of the uniqueness of the Commonwealth itself. “In history, the Commonwealth is without precedent. It is the antithesis of (the) empire from which it sprang, only now emerging from a transition that lasted half a century. Yet, years on from the establishment of the modern Commonwealth, the concept of 54 countries across the globe – North and South, large and small – co-operating voluntarily at every level for the betterment of themselves and the wider world is still a new and exciting one. This is an experiment in international relations that is only just beginning.”[12]
The HRG report acknowledges and treasures the uniqueness of the Commonwealth. “The Commonwealth’s special strength lies not only in its shared commitment to core values and principles, but also in the combination of the diversity of its members with their shared history, language, traditions and commitment to the rule of law.”[13] Of particular relevance to the CAA is the following observation of the report: “Its inclusiveness helps it to advance the interests of its smaller and weaker members, whose voices are otherwise not heard in international negotiations.”[14]
The authors of the report positively reaffirmed their belief in the Commonwealth’s enduring relevance and value; a theme developed further by the Secretary-General in his lecture entitled ‘Multilateralism and Multiculturism – the Commonwealth in the 21st Century’. In this lecture he emphasised that creating the conditions for a constructive engagement between cultures was central to the work of the Commonwealth.
Amongst the recommendations in the HRG is the confirmation of the constructive role the Commonwealth can play for achieving international co-operation in areas such as sustainable development. It identifies the supportive role of the Commonwealth’s Civil Society in achieving the objectives of the Commonwealth. “We believe that the networks for sharing expertise, information and experience among these organisations, people-to-people links, and the existence of a wider Commonwealth civil society are valuable assets that give the Commonwealth a depth and reach that is unique.”[15]
In order to strengthen this role, it recommends that the professional associations and NGOs be organised into different focus groups, based on their functional interests, and that they could be invited to interact with the proposed Co-ordination Committee for Commonwealth Agencies (CCCA). It also recommends that there should be greater opportunities for Commonwealth NGOs to co-ordinate their programmes more effectively with official Commonwealth programmes and objectives. In this regard, it suggests that a set of sound and consistent criteria for the accreditation of organisations as pan-Commonwealth NGOs, and for their accreditation to Commonwealth ministerial meetings and CHOGM.
This theme was repeated at a special consultation held on 13 November 2002 at Marlborough House, London when the Secretariat hosted a meeting between more than 60 non-governmental organisations and professional associations. The Commonwealth NGO network was identified as one of the great assets of the organisation. The focus of the meeting was to develop stronger and better-structured links between the official and the non-governmental Commonwealth. Two presentations indicated how the work of the NGOs could reflect and implement Commonwealth principles and values.
The issue of promoting investment in developing countries has also received high-level attention: a three-day seminar was hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat on 5-7 November 2002 at Marlborough House to build the capacity of Commonwealth diplomats to promote investment in their own countries.
Lastly, the Vision makes the following highly relevant observation that we would do well to take careful note of: “Too often excuses are made that this proposal or that project is ‘better handled by other international bodies’. References to the Commonwealth as a ‘niche’ organisation are increasing. To accept a niche position is to doom the Commonwealth to a limited role and inhibit original thinking. Novel and adventurous ideas will be cast aside as being beyond the Commonwealth’s reach.”[16]
These recognised advantages need to be recalibrated to reflect both the educational intentions of the UNESCO/UIA initiative and the objectives and goals of the Commonwealth. The UIA Accord has two basic purposes:
v To educate and train competent, creative and critically minded professional designers/builders; and
v To bring up good world citizens who are intellectually mature, ecologically sensitive and socially responsible.
The Accord also recognises the need for continuing professional development: after all, education is a lifelong process. It recognises the need for regional and local responsiveness: “The courses should take into account such factors as local needs and social and geographical characteristics (e.g. climate, social customs, natural disasters.)” In addition, we need to equip our members within the Commonwealth to deal with the very difficult issues of globalisation, (conformity versus identity) and the implied issues of super-modernism and the survival of a regional/local culture.
These are all people-centred issues, and respond directly to the bigger issues of social well-being and ultimately the sentiments contained in the resolutions on sustainable development.
Go to 9 Sustainable development definition
Back to 7 Commonwealth response to sustainable development