UBC Graduate Research

Let it Burn : Reframing Architecture And Wldfire Sokoloff, Annie

Abstract

Fire is a multifaceted phenomenon that serves as a critical tool for human advancement, yet concurrently, remains one of the most destructive forces. Fire has remained an intrinsic part of the earth and its surroundings for many millennia. However, human intervention and climate change have resulted in increasingly frequent, larger, and longer-lasting wildfires. This thesis advocates for a new approach to rural single-family housing that co-exists with wildfires, rather than working against them. Current architectural responses to rural wildfires are inadequate, and this project aims to address the increasing risk and severity of wildfires by exploring opportunities for buildings to "burn better" with non-toxic materials and a dialogue between temporary and permanent materials. The project also promotes a fundamental shift in our understanding of the value of objects and our attitudes towards material loss. This project draws inspiration from wildfire ecology, which highlights how plants have adapted to cope with the inevitability of wildfires.

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Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International