The evolution of the built environment towards sustainability is reflected in a dynamic of transitions, which concerns both the polycentric restructuring of built territories as well as the ecological management of resources, the decarbonation of urban systems or the proactive anticipation of societal changes. The architectural project is thus placed in a dialectical relationship. On the one hand, it can make a significant contribution to these ongoing changes through its intrinsic source of proposals. On the other hand, these challenges constitute a real “raw material”, in the conceptual sense of the term, to rethink some of its modalities from a multidimensional, multi-scalar, and interdisciplinary perspective.
In this context, the search for architectural strategies that are capable simultaneously of intelligently densifying urban areas, improving the quality of life in the built environment, promoting circularity in building practices, and drastically limiting greenhouse gas emissions occupies a prominent place. Under the direction of Prof. Emmanuel Rey, the LAST focuses its teaching and activities on these questions, with particular emphasis on the transcription of issues related to transitions towards sustainability at different levels of intervention – from urban design to building components – and for the integration of innovative and evaluative criteria into architectural design. Through its interdisciplinary approaches, it aims to contribute to the establishment of dynamic links between architecture and other areas of the built environment.
Teaching focused on the architectural project
The various teachings given by the LAST aim to provide students with the keys and tools which will enable them to integrate notions on sustainability and interdisciplinarity as a resource for developing the discipline of architecture and, more broadly, equipping them for their future professional activity in an area facing increasing complexity. The objective is to allow students to gain an understanding of the main parameters relating to the integration of sustainability into the architectural project to be able to dialogue with the other disciplines in a better-informed manner and to anticipate the challenges ahead in a proactive manner.
Multiscalar research with interdisciplinary scope
Research at the LAST aims at contributing to transitions towards sustainability in the built environment by optimizing the integration of environmental, socio-cultural, and economic parameters in the architectural project. Falling within the broader context of quality, the research projects focus on supporting the emergence of new knowledge, revealing the potential for innovation potential that can be transposed into architectural production, and identifying optimization processes of constructions. Translating the general concept of sustainability into concrete terms, the LAST approach is based on a holistic, interdisciplinary, and evaluative method, by searching convergent strategies at the different scales of intervention for the architect, from the neighborhood to the building component.