BERKELEY PRIZE COMPETITION ESSAY PARTICIPANT Mr Jesse S Turck COUNTRY United States UNIVERISTY North Dakota State University DEPARTMENT College of Engineering and Architecture MAJOR Architecture YEAR 5 FIRST DRAFT Architecture is everywhere; the planet is filled with ways that humans have modified their surroundings to 'better' their lives. Architecture has had a social aspect since the first group of people huddled together in a cave or under the branch of a tree to stay out of the elements. Although design education has changed throughout the years, the vast majority of the structures built fall under the category of vernacular design, or structures built by and for non-architecturally trained people. These structures were built to serve a particular human need. Aldo van Eyck was a 'humanist rebel' all his life; he focused his career on the reason structures were built, for the inhabitants or users. Most designers sadly do not take enough consideration of the people or the environment they impact. Today, with the world's ever decreasing resources more effort should be put into designing with people and our fragile ecosystem in mind. Currently, the best way to accomplish this is through sustainable design. This is the only option that is left for our world to continue to function. Sustainable design does not follow a specific style or trend, it can be adapted to any project or locality, and it uses our precious resources wisely. With interest in sustainable design growing, and new technologies emerging there may be hope for society on this planet after all. As Aldo van Eyck's once said, 'What can be done that is more effective than trying to save the world?' FIRST SOURCES