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ISSUE 1 | SUMMER 2012
ON THE COVER ◄Photograph: cast of Homo florensiensis skull at the American Museum of National History, courtesy of Ryan Somma | CC-BY-SA 2.0 Homo florensiensis, also known as “the hobbit”, was discovered in 2003 by Mike Morwood [and colleagues] on the island Flores, Indonesia. They had small bodies and small brains. What’s most surprising is how long they survived, possibly as recent as 12,000 years ago. Debates continue regarding if this species was smaller version of ourselves. Cave where the ► remains were discovered in 2003, courtesy of Rosino | CC-BY-SA 2.0
featured contributor Jonathan G O’Donoghue
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fear
is a freelance illustrator from Cork, Ireland. His work focuses on aspects of Irish identity, including but not limited to Irish archaeology, language, or typography. His work explores and celebrates these issues and subjects and attempts to raise awareness and interest in them. His work is in the traditional medium of pen and ink as well as painting with colored inks.
extinction of civilization
2 | ORIGINS
Website :: www.jgodonoghue.com Store :: www.esty.com/shop/jgodonoghue Email :: info@jgodonoghue.com Origins, The Magazine by BermudaQuest Issue 1 Summer 2012
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©2012 Origins, founded by Melanie E Magdalena in association with BermudaQuest
Copyright: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Permission of the authors is required for derivative works, compilations, and translations. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or views of Origins. The publisher, editor, contributors, and related parties assumes no responsibility of loss, injury or inconvenience of any person, organization, or party that uses the information or resources provided within this publication, website, or related products.
IN THIS ISSUE: CONTENT | 3
12 18
Gladiators of the Present Barbaric rituals of the past shape modern spectating sports. RYAN MAY
Origins of an Illustrative Idea The story of an archaeological illustrator. JONATHAN G O’DONOGHUE
From Stone to Steel
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The evolution of architecture from ancient stone pyramids to steel buildings of today. SIMON MARSHALL
STUART ANTHONY
| FLICKR
36 49 Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CREATIVE DIRECTOR PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR TRANSLATION
MELANIE E MAGDALENA BERMUDAQUEST JOSE-PIERRE ESTRADA KAREN MEZA CHERIT
Green: more than a color How you can live a truly green and sustainable lifestyle. SIMON MARSHALL
Communication in Bytes Now available in 140-characters or less! DIANA HERNANDEZ ALARCON
DEPARTMENTS 4 8 16 44 51
FROM THE EDITOR PEOPLE OF THE PAST AROUND THE WORLD Q&A FROM THE SHELF
By BermudaQuest
4 | ORIGINS
From the editor… When the idea for Origins began, we knew we wanted to help people understand the beauty and mystery of our collective past. As technology advances, less and less people seem to know about history. From my point of view, people are more concerned with their social media network status updates than understanding who they are. Everyone has a past that created who they are today – but do they know their past? Why do we live in homes that are two-stories tall with abundant living spaces we choose to clutter with insignificant material objects? How did our ancestors arrive where we live today? Archaeologists strive to rediscover the answers about our questionable pasts, yet those who benefit from knowing look the other way. From stone to steel, from gladiator arenas to football fields… How did we get here and where are we going to end up? I believe that technology is a best friend and the main culprit behind many problems in society today. The future is creeping up on us and I doubt we’re ready for what it holds.
CONTRIBUTORS JOSE-PIERRE ESTRADA Anthropology undergraduate teaching others that there is more to life than meets the eye.
DIANA HERNANDEZ ALARCON B.A. Communication Sciences, worked for international advertising agencies.
RYAN MAY Austin Community College sophomore studying life and is interested in everything.
SIMON MARSHALL CEO of BuildingsGuide.com, a leading online resource for steel and metal building information.
KAREN MEZA CHERIT
About the editor: Melanie E. Magdalena is a person who has distinguished herself by her constant search for truth and information about diverse cultures, through research, all of which have allowed her to discover her true passion and her decision to study archeology. Today she studies at the University of New Mexico. She has visited archaeological sites as Teotihuacan and Tulum (Mexico); Alta Mira and Empúries (Spain); Altun Ha, Cerros, Lamanai, and La Milpa (Belize); Casa Grande and Montezuma's Castle (Arizona). All this combined has inspired her to be an archaeologist, but her journey has only just begun as founder and Editor-in-Chief of BermudaQuest - where she continues her research, interviews and other articles for you to enjoy.
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Undergraduate studying Business Management at El Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM).
KEVIN MOORE With a background of history and communications, he enjoys watching current affairs and politics.
JONATHAN G O’DONOGHUE
Freelance illustrator from Cork, Ireland who focuses on aspects of Irish identity.
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By BermudaQuest
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KEVIN MOORE
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CIVILIZATIONS | 7
fear? I think when we study human behavior we must recognize what is learned and what is innate. If you subscribe to evolution, it is believed that all animals and plants evolve into a specific niche for survival purposes. Fear is an evolved form of programming in our minds that help us adapt, similar to sexual attraction used for procreation of the human race. We are hard wired in our DNA to respond certain ways to specific things. Many forms of phobias are
learned behavior through time, passed down through the ages from our ancestors. Fear and sexual attraction are similar in that they are evolved adaptive behaviors used for survival in a totally different world. Characteristics such as these are used to manipulate individuals who are not aware that they must adapt even quicker in our new mass urban socially dysfunctional society. Nothing your ancestors learned could
possibly be passed down to you that would be useful in the digital age. Why should we care? Well, the old ways and niches are disappearing and being replaced with a fast moving and changing world that requires different qualities. Fear, like Xenophobia, is now something that could devolve an individual or society. Today children are being raised to become competent in the society and world that is not yet
known to us. Remember, the greatest fear of all is the Unknown.
‌ Is this how Neanderthal man felt when Homo sapiens arrived in northern Europe? Is there any equivalent in history? It's hard to tell.
COURTNEY CARMONDY | CC-BY-SA 3.0
W
ONDERED WHY PEOPLE ARE AFRAID . HOW DO THEY COME ABOUT THIS
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JOSE-PIERRE ESTRADA
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RANDII OLIVER | NASA PD-ART
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PEOPLE OF THE PAST | 9
HOMO NEANDERTHALENSIS The Neanderthals were prehistoric humans. That lived in the European area through the ice age. They lived during the same time as pre“modern” people, but they had larger brains, wide and broad bodies, stocky arms and legs; not to mention they had twice the strength their contemporary human neighbors. They were built to endure the Ice Age. Neanderthals made many types of tools and weapons, but they were less complex than those made by humans. Scientists today create similar tools and weapons in order to re-enact the Neanderthal lifestyle. Neanderthals had fire, music, art, possibly even medicine. They buried their dead – archaeologists discovered a 100,000-year-old grave with traces of pollen (it seems they may have buried flowers too!) 40,000 years ago, humans from tropical Africa migrated north into. 10,000 years later, Homo neanderthalensis disappeared. Did they die of disease? Lack of large game to hunt? Or were they absorbed into the human race by mating? The cause of their demise is unknown… Did you know 4% of our DNA is Neanderthal? By BermudaQuest
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Olmecs: With no trace of what caused the Olmecs to lose control of their state, change in weather may have caused an ecological disaster exterminating the fascinating civilization.
Aztecs: Small pox, brought by the Spanish, and increased human sacrifice [an estimate of 20,000 in a year] may have ultimately exterminated the Aztec population during the conquest era.
p
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IMAGE CREDITS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT | BLACK TEZCATILPOCA, SAN LORENZO HEAD , PLATO’S ACAMEDY MOSAIC FROM POMPEII: PD-ART; MOHENJO DARO: M.IMRAN, CC-SA 1.0
PEOPLE OF THE PAST | 11
Ancient Greece: The civilization began as a group of self-governing states with disputes every once and a while. Once Phillip II and his son, Alexander the Great, took over, lust for power divided the states. Tax rates were so high that common people could not afford their most basic needs. The government gained more and more power…perhaps even like governments today. Eventually the hardships were too great to overcome and birth rates drastically declined – with a bankrupt city-state people migrated off to places with more opportunity. Are we slowly reaching this same fate?
Indus: Known for the first “bathtubs”, the Indus civilization faced a violent death at the hand of the Aryans. A secondary factor, constant flooding due to tectonic movement in the area, destroyed necessary crops for food – lack of rain probably did not help much either!
ecm cont.
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POLLICE VERSO, JEAN-LÉON GÉRÔME | PD-ART
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Gladiators
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RYAN MAY
of the Present “The people that once bestowed commands, consulships, legions, and all else, now concerns itself no more, and longs eagerly for just two things – bread and circuses.” — Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis "Sports is like a war without the killing." — Ted Turner
A slew of arguments can be made against Decimus’s and Ted Turner’s claims. After all, are we not are more intelligent, more cultured and more civilized than the ancient Romans? One might claim that we have nothing in common with the ancient Romans, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, whether it is gladiator combat or two teams pitted up against each other in the Super Bowl, the love of games bridges the gap between modern and ancient people. Culture and civility evolve with the passage of time. We may be more intelligent than the ancient Romans, but it is a falsehood to say that we are more cultured and civilized. The Gladiatorial games and most successful modern day spectating sports have violence at their core, and many modern traditions have their origins in ancient rituals. Although one might scoff at the notion that modern sports have anything in common with the barbaric games of By BermudaQuest the ancient Romans, we are no less violent and barbaric today than when we lived in caves. ►
12 | ORIGINS
Violence in sports was not only glorified in ancient times. Modern spectating sports are littered with examples of violence. Ray Didinger wrote of a 1990 football game, “Say the words ‘Body Bag Game’ to any Eagles fan and he – or she – will nod and smile. They don’t always remember the final score. . . But they all remember the body count.” Didiger shows the wide-spread acceptance of violence in the sport of football, but what about other sports? After beaning an opposing team member, Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Norm Charlton said, "He'll be lucky if don't take his head off the next time I'm pitching." The most recent example of glorified violence one could point to is the “bounty program” instituted by the New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams. Williams offered financial incentives to his players for causing injury to opposing team members. There seems to be a quiet acknowledgement or acceptance of this among the players of the sport. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Back LeGarrette Blount said, “I don’t have a problem with it, it is what it is… I wouldn’t be mad about it… It is nice to know someone cares enough about you to put a hit out on you...” This passive acceptance of violence is an outright proclamation that violence in modern football is here to stay. In Boxing, hundreds of people gather to watch two opponents hit one another. In ancient Rome, Gladiatorial combat was popular source of entertainment. According to UNRV History, contrary to popular belief, “Gladiators were expensive to maintain, train and replace in the event of death, and keeping the most popular of crowd pleasers alive was far more practical than the alternative.” In modern times, as in ancient, participation in the games was a way for individuals to gain fortune and fame, and the owners of gladiator troops or teams became wealthy.
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ART BROMAGE | CC-BY-SA 2.0 KEVIN T MURRAY JR. | PD-ART
Violence among the fans of spectating sports is no exception. For example on July 20, 2008, USA Today reported soccer fans were shocked when “a halftime brawl between more than 100 fans marred an exhibition match between West Ham United of the
JAYME PASTORIC | PD-ART
SPORTS | 15
English Premier League club and the MLS' Columbus Crew.” In 532 AD, chaos erupted in Rome during the chariot races, ancient Rome’s version of NASCAR, when two rival factions erupted into violence. Now known as the Nika riots, these riots were one of the most bloody and violent sporting riots of the ancient world. Groups of fans were seen on the streets celebrating their charioteer’s victory. Traditions such as tailgating and wearing your favorite team’s colors also have their roots in ancient customs:
“Spectators arrived the evening before [The Chariot Races] to stake out good seats. They ate and drank to excess, and fights were common. . .” — Lapham's Quarterly
MATTHIAS KABEL | CC-BY-SA 3.0
It is easy to think that with the passage of time we progress, we get better and that we have no connection to the traditions and people of the past. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many of our most cherished traditions have their origins in ancient customs and traditions. The roots of competition are steeped in violence. It seems that violence unto itself is a tradition. ◊
FYODOR BRONNIKOV | PD-ART
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Built by the Toltec culture, Tula, Hidalgo, is one of their most important sites. The giants, known as Atlantes, represent ancient Toltec warriors.
Built by the mysterious Teotihuacanos, the remains of their great pyramids still stand. They were once used as ceremonial and political centers. The site is located 40 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. The Pyramid of the Sun has over 300 intact stairs, but the Spanish may have destroyed many during the conquest, www.origins-magazine.com
AROUND THE WORLD | 17
Built by the Zapotecs, Monte Alban is located in Oaxaca, Mexico. The Zapotecs were a very powerful economic, political, and religious influence in the valley region. The most impressive element of this site, it that at different times of day and at different angles, the site always looks completely different.
KAREN MEZA CHERIT The Maya dominated what we call today the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Some of their greatest sites include Tikal and Chichen Itza. Tikal, located in Guatemala, may be one of the most explored sites in America due to the dense forest which constantly “re-hides” the already excavated site. Chichen Itza, located in Yucatan, Mexico, is one now considered one of the seven Wonders of the World.
IMAGE CREDITS COUNTERCLOCKWISE: LUIDGER, CC-BY-SA 3.0; JACK HYNES, PD; BJORN CHRISTIAN TORRISSEN, CC-BY-SA 3.0; ©N. SAUM, CC-BY-SA 3.0
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18 | ORIGINS
ORIGINS OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE IDEA
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3D COMIC | JG O’DONOGHUE
JONATHAN G O’DONOGHUE
PERSPECTIVES | 19
Imagine a place that is the connection between one reality and another – a place that is a gateway – that when you step into it, you step into a completely different world. I bet your imagining some science fiction gateway like a star gate. It may surprise you, but I am talking about a megalithic monument. This is how the ancient Irish saw these archaeological sites dotted across the Irish landscape, like cairns, tumults, and of course stone circles. Dáithí Ó Hógain’s book The Lore of Ireland, says fairies lived in Tumuli — cairns, raths/lisses, stone circles, hills, invisible caverns in mountainsides, and underwater palaces. Writings in Irish literature occurred at least 1,000 years after the construction of the most recent stone monuments; but even so, the literature that remains provides an echo of what was believed and what came to be believed after the initial builders disappeared.
The first time I used a megalithic monument in my art, it was a stone circle – the famous site in west Cork called Drombeg. For my Master’s degree, I had to create a sequential comic using Irish mythology. It was during my research when I found the Tuatha de Danann, what were later renamed fairies, lived at these megalithic stone sites. They were gateways to their world, one that runs parallel to our own. What we see in the real world, the megalithic site, served as an “in between” place. Perhaps the original creators did not have this in mind; but I think it is important to think about what was originally believed and came to be believed over time at these sites. Since that initial venture, my work was tempered by research into geology and archaeology but I think the original idea has never left me. Lettergorman is a good example: if you look at its composition, it leads the viewer in like a doorway – a portal stone has fallen down and opens up the circle. My idea for this composition was gathered from prehistoric Irish metalwork. However, when choosing this composition and throughout the creation of my art piece, my thinking was transformed by the original interpretation of these sites. ◊
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LETTERGORMAN, CORK, IRELAND | JG O’DONOGHUE
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The Evolution of Architecture from Ancient Stone Pyramids to Steel Buildings Today SIMON MARSHALL
Architecture is a practice that has been around since before recorded history and the reasons for constructing distinctive, enormous and aesthetically pleasing structures has varied. Some of the greatest architectural achievements have come to symbolize ideas and even entire nations. By BermudaQuest
22 | ORIGINS
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DOSSIER | 23
One of the most striking forms of architecture is that of the buildings constructed by the Ancient Egyptians, especially the pyramids. Pyramid construction began around 2,700 B.C. and continued for a thousand years. The Great Pyramid at Giza is believed to have taken 23 years and required 20,000 to 30,000 laborers. A committee was responsible for the pyramid construction, which included an architect, overseer of construction and a chief engineer. The pyramid cores were made from cheaper limestone, while the outer layers was made from finer limestone. The capstone was made from basalt, granite or a hard stone that was plated with a precious metal, such as silver, gold or electrum. Copper chisels were used to quarry limestone and sandstone. Harder stones included granite and diorite. A very hard rock called dolerite was used to pulverize granite near the edge that would be extracted using about 65 men. Then, wooden pegs were jammed into the slots that opened up from the dolerite pounding and the slots were then filled with water. The pegs would then expand and split the granite, allowing it to be slid on to a boat. The slipway on which the stones were dragged was lubricated with oil so that the stones slipped more easily. The stones were dragged into position using ramps constructed from mud brick and covered with plaster chips. One major issue that the master architect must have faced was the act of communicating precise construction plans for over 20,000 workers. However, Ole J. Bryn, an architect and associate professor, speculates that the Egyptians had developed their own building grid that allowed the architect to project the pyramid by simply understanding its dimensions.
By BermudaQuest
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Many Greek structures built prior to the 5th century B.C. were made using crude stones. The structures were coated with marble dust and lime. When the Greeks began using marble, they still coated the marble with the same coating. The most well-known temple is the Parthenon, which is viewed as a symbol of Ancient Greece and was built in 438 BC. It had a rectangular floor plan and had a series of steps on both sides. The most distinctive feature is that of the Doric columns. The temple consisted of two rooms, with the larger of the two containing a cult statue. The smaller room was the treasury. The Doric columns are a type of order that consists of triglyphs and metopes on the entablature. Each metope has a panel of relief sculpture. Various other relief sculptures are found throughout. www.origins-magazine.com
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DOSSIER | 27
The Romans were also known for their architecture. The Colosseum was the most significant entertainment center of Ancient Rome and was used to hold gladiatorial combat, mock battles and dramas. It was completed in 80 A.D. and was able to seat 50,000 spectators. It has an elliptical shape and consists of three floors made of travertine stone. The fourth floor consisted of windows. Emperor Vespasian had the Colosseum constructed after the end of Nero's rule as a way to appease the people. Another significant architectural feature was the aqueduct, which continues to survive today. The aqueducts were constructed to transport water across gaps and the greatest one, found near Sierra de Guadarrama, is 2950 feet long.
By BermudaQuest
28 | ORIGINS
Castles were constructed throughout the Middle Ages. The largest castle ever constructed was the Malbork Castle in Poland, which was stolen from the Polish by the Teutonic Knights. This castle was finished in 1406, making it the largest castle in the world in terms of surface area. The building was so well-designed that much of it remained standing after World War 2, when it was used as a battling ground between the Germans and Soviets. Castles did not have set standards for how they were built and were constructed based on the needs of the community. The motte-and-bailey fortress was the most common type of castle, which consisted of a circular ditch with wooden palisades at the edge of the ditch, with a wooden tower constructed on the top of a mound. The more iconic stone castles were constructed mostly by the wealthy. Originally, the castles were not meant to be lived in and were instead used as a last place to retreat when defending against invaders. Stone castles became more common in the 1100s and many castles became large enough for the entire community to live in.
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DOSSIER | 29
Ż Ł
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30 | ORIGINS
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DOSSIER | 31
The Great Cathedrals were built during the Gothic architectural period between 1,100 and 1,450 AD. These were often structures that were much larger than what was normally possible at the time. They were constructed to symbolize a ship carrying people of God, with the roof constructed in a way that was similar to the hull of a ship.
The structure consists of a nave that is braced by lower aisles. The aisles are separated by rows of columns and serve to buttress the inner walls, which hold the roof. They were made from stone. There was also a crossing, which was the point where the transept and the nave intersected. On the outside, the crossing appeared as a dome. From the inside, occupants can see piers and arches, which supported the weight of the dome. Later Gothic cathedrals were lighter and were supported by flying buttresses.
By BermudaQuest
32 | ORIGINS
Between the 1730s and 1925s, Classical architectural ideas became popular once again, as seen in many of the buildings located in Washington DC. The classical buildings were constructed to match the Roman and Greek legal & political ideals that form the foundation of the United States political system. The White House itself was a Georgian estate that was transformed into a Neoclassical mansion when architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe added the portico in 1824. Many of the other buildings, including the US Capitol building, were created through a com-petition carried out between different designers, most of whom submitted designs inspired by the Renaissance. However, three of the buildings had classical inspirations, which Thomas Jefferson preferred. It was his suggestion that the Capitol look like the Roman Pantheon. Another distinct piece is the Washington Monument, the world's tallest stone obelisk. Architect Robert Mills designed the monument in the 1840s and it was www.origins-magazine.com not finished until 1884.
DOSSIER | 33
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34 | ORIGINS
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DOSSIER | 35
Modern steel buildings are the tallest structures that can be built. The first skyscrapers were built in the 1880s when 10 to 20 story buildings were constructed. In 1855, Sir Henry Bessemer developed a process for refining and strengthening raw iron that allowed support for much larger buildings. Prior to the development of steel, taller buildings were constructed using solid concrete, which had to be very thick to support the weight of the structure. Steel serves as a skeleton for the building, holding everything else up and together. Concrete is not the main supporter of the building's weight, but it is still used in skyscraper construction. Most modern steel buildings are designed using computer software, since a building that would take a structural engineer months to design can be finished in one day. The architect designs the building and the structural engineer is responsible for determining what needs to be done to meet the architect's requirements. The engineer performs mathematical calculations to determine where the framework, beams, columns, girders, trusses and bracing go. Braces are placed in strategic areas to provide additional support for the area of a load. Joints and nodes connect structural elements together. The steel structure is built on a concrete foundation with anchor bolts that are embedded into the concrete. They are also connected to column base plates with washers and nuts. Most of the recent developments in steel buildings have resulted from a need to construct buildings that are resistant to earthquakes. Since 2010, the world's tallest building has been Dubai's Burj Khalifa, whose chief architect was Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The building was constructed during the global financial crisis of 2007-10 and most of the apartments in the building are currently vacant. The building's design was derived from a patterning system that comes from Islamic architecture. It is 2,723 feet tall. â—Š
By BermudaQuest
32 | ORIGINS
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EIFFEL TOWER, PARIS, FRANCE | GAIL J. COHEN
DOSSIER | 37
EGYPTIAN How Were the Ancient Pyramids Built? (ScienceDaily.com) New Theory Explains How Pyramids Were Built (Ntnu.edu) GREEK The Parthenon (Reed.edu) ROMAN Roman Aqueduct (Bluffton.edu) Colosseum: Archaeopaedia (Stanford.edu) MEDIEVAL History of Western Civilization (BoiseState.edu) The Resurrection of Malbork Castle (Bu.edu) MODERN Steel and How It’s Made (BuildingsGuide.com) Burj Khalifa: The World’s Largest Tower (BurjKhalifa.ae) IMAGE LICENSES: 14/15-Ricardo Liberato, CC-BY-2.0; 16/17-Daniel Mayer, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 18/19-Onkel Tuca, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 20/21-David Iliff, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 22/23-DerHexer, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 24/25-Hans Musil, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 26a-Courtesy Ed Brown; 26b-Ibrahim Rustamov, CCBY-SA 3.0; 27-AgnosticPreachersKid, CC-BY-SA 3.0; 28/29-Tim Gage, CC-BY-SA 2.0; 30/31-Gail J. Cohen, CC-BY-SA 3.0 abcdefghihhhhhhhh
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36 | ORIGINS
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From stone to steel‌ Architects did not stop there. Today we adopt ancient traditions. We live with the land. We build
SUSTAINABILITY | 35
40 | ORIGINS
SIMON MARSHALL
A A
…more than a color rcheologists have seen the answer to many of our modern day
living problems rcheologists have seen the answer to many of our modern day
living problems by visiting sites where great architecture still stands. Architects that study new green methods are finding that by mixing the old sustainable methods of building and what we know today can bring a whole new generation of sustainable green architecture. Pit houses, earth homes, courtyard homes and adobes utilize the assets of the earth and eliminate the need for buying and buying more new unnecessary products that do not work. While looking at some of these types of structures from centuries past may not make a huge impression, think of the opportunity! With the talent of today, modern ideas and most importantly, never forgetting that we need help from nature, we can create some of the most awesome designs in the world.
BILL BAILEY | CC-BY-SA 3.0
“
” Photograph and Quote by KECKO | CC-BY-SA 3.0
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ANTHONY BROWN | CC-BY-SA 2.0
SUSTAINABILITY | 41
We All Need Air Creating an airtight environment that shut out pollutants and kept our heating and cooling systems performing more efficiently 40 years ago seemed a grand idea. While in fact, we were shutting in the toxins that linger in almost everything we use. From the paint on the walls to the PVC shower curtain hanging in the bathtub, every home is filled with heavy metals, formaldehyde, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and many other harmful toxins. We have become so accustomed to these odors that we relate them to a 'new' product smell. The concept of holding everything inside a house as tightly as possible by using technology from petroleum-based products and electricity (also petroleum-based) has only been in existence for 150 years. Before then, the world lived in a more functional way by letting nature help. How many of the structures built 150 years ago are still in existence compared to those of 5000 years ago? This proves that today's building materials and methods are nowhere close to being sustainable. Illness has increased ten-fold by breathing in toxins. We blame it on pollution, second hand cigarette smoke and international traffic but studies have proven otherwise. Sick Building Syndrome is a new term that has been placed on individuals suffering from asthma, allergies, dizziness, fatigue, chills and a host of other symptoms that seem to have no medical explanation. It is believed that over 30% of all new construction and remodeled buildings have some type of SBS attributing to health issues. So we make more filters, disinfectants and air cleaners to battle the problem but aren't we still just digging a hole to nowhere?
Did you know that the amount of trash produced in the United States everyday weighs as much as the Empire State Building?
ARCHI0780 | CC-BY-SA 3.0
By BermudaQuest
38 | ORIGINS
JEREMY LEVINE |CC-BY-2.0
An earth house is an unconditional type of structure that uses the terrain of the land to insulate a home. This is nothing like living in a basement that has concrete lined walls and is airtight. An earth house or pit house works with the land to provide insulation, energy and much needed carbon dioxide. There are several advantages to building an earth home like there is never any damage from the weather, security issues are nonexistent and health issues are diminished. There is also no worry of fires, natural light can be streamed in from above and there is plenty of land for planting or landscaping on the roof.
Courtyard homes have been used for thousands of years in many areas of the world. Starting out as a way to keep public buildings together with a central meeting square, residential homes soon found that the benefits of having a square from wind and inclement weather could be enjoyed. By using the interior courtyard as a haven for trees and plants, the air is fresher, less energy is needed and nature is easily spread throughout the home. This can be a perfect way to begin a green architectural project with an existing small home by beginning to expanding wings to encircle your property.
INTERNAL POCKET COURTYARD: IT ACTS AS A NATURAL LIGHT SOURCE, CLIMATE CONTROL, AND WITH THE SLIDING GLASS
THIS LUCID MOMENT |CC-BY-2.0
DOORS YOU CAN EVEN GET SOME FRESH AIR
ADOBE HOME: A VERY INEXPENSIVE BUILDING STYLE THAT NATURALLY REGULATES TEMPERATURE
Adobe homes are making a comeback in the southwestern part of the country. For hundreds of years, Indians have used a mixture of earth and clay to build these beautiful rounded structures that are energy efficient and provide a natural environment of carbon dioxide. Totally waterproof, they have been proven to stand the test of time and are very inexpensive to build with materials readily available. GREG|CC-BY-SA 3.0
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NAME: TAIPEI 101 DESCRIPTION: THE TALLEST AND LARGEST GREEN BUILDING OF LEED PLATINUM CERTIFICATION IN THE WORLD SINCE 2011
LOCATION: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
SUSTAINABILITY | 43 LIVING GREEN IS THE TREND IN TODAY'S SOCIETY. BUYING SMALLER CARS, RECYCLING, AND PLANTING TREES MAKES EVERYONE FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE DOING THEIR PART IN SUSTAINING THE ENVIRONMENT BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR HOMES? THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE PUBLIC IS BEING LED COULD BE COMPARED TO DIGGING A HOLE FOR A TWENTY-ACRE LAKE BY HAND. DOES THE TASK MERIT THE RESULTS? IN OTHER WORDS, OUR SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINING A GREENER LIFE THROUGH NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDINGS FALLS PITIFULLY SHORT OF WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to build a new home or to remodel and expand an existing house but there are several other ways that you can use nature to provide a better atmosphere where you live. Plants & trees are nature's way of providing fresh air to everyone.
Vertical green walls are becoming popular for aesthetic reasons as well as using as an alternative to air cleaners. They can be used indoors or out and provide an excellent way of cleansing the air around you.
Fruit trees can provide a two-fold asset when planted five to ten feet from your home on the south or west side. The shade will cut your energy costs, provide a more pleasing temperature and provide fruit that is sweet and healthy.
verall, we need to change our way of thinking about what is good for us, our family and our future by looking at our ancestors of the past. By combining what we have learned from mistakes in architecture, what we know about nature and then blending the two, it is possible to create a future with sustainable green architecture without relying on complex expensive technology. ◊
Perhaps it is time to stop following the crowd and really look at nature and what it has to say. The earth was created long before mammals but when they did arrive, the atmosphere was set up to sustain them with everything available from the earth. Look at the Romans and how they were able to build beautiful structures without the use of earthmovers and technology. Yet today when there is a power failure, our entire world stops. When you stop and take a good hard look at the portfolios of green architects of today, are the projects of astounding buildings and homes really sustainable? Solar energy of today is nothing like solar power that was used 200 years ago. Technology has made it so complex, full of embodied energy and expensive components that it takes 50 YEARS just to break even and reach for energy sustainability.
By then, the technology will be out of date and your home will be a dinosaur of outdated equipment that you’ll By BermudaQuest still be paying for!
Archaeo-Architecture
44 | ORIGINS
QA:
Rachel Preston Prinz
is a passionate advocate of historic preservation. She strives to applying lessons learned in preservation and archaeology to modern bioregional design. Her work has included forensic architecture, archaeological architecture, the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic structures, re/design for handicapped accessibility, as well as the design of bio-climatic residences & commercial structures for non-profits.
Her firm, Archinia , is an architectural cooperative, employing the services of an array of professionals normally not considered part of "traditional architecture." Archinia's inclusive approach allows her to develop pioneering interdisciplinary research in: "revisiting historic precedents to get past style and into the design's substance; the development and design of ecocommunities; and preserving context in historic structures, trails, roads, and monuments."
www.origins-magazine.com
Tell us about yourself. What's your background as it relates to sustainable architecture?
I got into sustainable design through an unusual route: when working on my Master's thesis in Architectural Design, I was offered the opportunity to study in Italy - to get up close and personal with the subject of my thesis - the late sixteenth century Andrea Palladio, and in particular his Villa Emo at Fanzolo. After spending nearly a month studying the site, I realized that Palladio had introduced some incredible bioregional design aspects to his buildings, making them not only well-designed as far as their response to their time and place - that being the Mannerist period of playful reinterpretations of Renaissance idealism and a deep respect for all things ordained by the heavens (his villas use mythical imagery to connect to the particular powers of certain gods and goddesses) - but the houses were also appropriate as a response to their specific physical environment. The houses were naturally heated, cooled and lit, water naturally went where it needed to be, and was swept away from where it didn't. The landscape and the architecture were inexorably intertwined, working together. I realized that what might appear as merely "structure" had a place. It stuck with me, and I began to search for that "sense of place" in everything else I would study or design.
QA:
What is Archinia?
Archinia is half "architecture" and half "Nia". I am technically a Nia white-belt instructor, though I don't teach. Nia is part dance, part yoga, and part martial arts. Nia is a mindfulness-based dance practice, where your only aim is to finding your own edges, so you can take your body places you weren't even sure it could go. Architecture and dance are intimates - moving through space requires a specific kind of attention - and I want to awaken that awareness in my design work.
Q&A | 45
QA:
Are there any sites in particular that you feel should be more well-known?
The most magical New Mexico archaeological sites to me are the petroglyphs at Mesa Prieta, everything at Chaco, Taos Pueblo, and the cave complexes at Tsankawai and Bandalier. The New Mexico carved cave complexes are a special thrill... not only are the sites positioned strategically for access to water and therefore some degree of health, agriculture and protection, they are also oriented to the sun to take advantage of solar heat in the winter. Facing a cave opening south or southwest invites the late day sun in to warm your "bedchamber" before you tuck in to your blanket. It's ingenious and SO simple.
QA:
How did New Mexico Archaeology inspire your work?
I've always had a passion for archaeology but for years I actually believed that you had to have a degree to participate in it. So I never pursued it. When I got to New Mexico three years ago, I was taking time to "reboot" my design paradigm. So, I started volunteering on various archaeological projects. Before I realized it, some of the archaeologists I was working with recognized that it was handy to have an architect around. Especially one trained in vernacular design. I could automatically see patterns where others had to look, and often missed. I came to love archaeoastronomy and studying how astronomy influenced design. Then, when at Chaco Canyon one weekend, I realized that all these sites I was studying had some things in common. They were built with materials found within a very small radius from the site. The sites were oriented towards the sun for maximum solar gain. They were hand-built by the people of that place, and their culture was reflected in the details. Before long, I realized other places in New Mexico confirmed these observations, responding to their environments and cultures in different ways in a variety of historic periods, but answering the same problems. I realized that archaeology told us how to build correctly for our place - and it worked when the power or gas went out - which was relevant as many thousands of us in New Mexico suffered through staying up all night tending a fireplace, if we were lucky enough to have one, for 5 days with no gas for heat in the coldest part of winter. Want to hear more? Watch her TEDx talk on BermudaQuest!
QA:
What projects is Archinia working on currently and what projects have been successful in the past?
We have the incredible good fortune of having a diverse workload that incorporates our interdisciplinary approach. We are working on archaeological projects including developing National Register nominations of National Historic Trails; historic preservation projects including developing ways of preserving context and landscape in historic sites, including current projects the Sanctuario de Chimayo and the Santa Fe National Cemetery; and we are helping in the design and implementation of vernacular homes and ecocommunities right here at home as well as in faraway places including Arizona, Costa Rica, Canada and Russia.
QA:
How can the public help promote a sustainable future? Wow, that's a tough question! It is so easy to get greenwashed in design. I think that the biggest thing people can do to promote
sustainability is to commit to it: Participate in your community's planning process. Buy local food. Encourage community gardens. Don't poison your own water supply (aquifers) with non-organic pesticides and fertilizers. Work within 10 miles of your home. Don't drive if you can walk or ride a bike - and look around when you do to absorb what makes your own place great, so you can help protect it. Be a good neighbor. Share. Help other people you may not agree with all the time to achieve their dreams, and if you can, encourage them to do it in a more sustainable way. We can all make a difference if we just try. By BermudaQuest
42 | ORIGINS
www.origins-magazine.com
COMMUNICATION | 43
DIANA HERNÁNDEZ ALARCÓN.
COMMUNICATION IN NOW AVAILABLE IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS!
BYTES
Information is now available in the palm of any hand that desires it. Everyday more and more people are plugging themselves into this information network due to the easily accessible social media outlets. We can share almost any type of information in a fraction of a second. Radio, television, newspapers, and the Internet brought about the information revolution. With the Internet we can communicate with people all over the world! Communication was in person, now we speak through series of zeros and ones. Now as a society we face a conflict: the powers and perils of communication in the W ORLD OF B YTES .
By BermudaQuest
48 | ORIGINS
“I just broke up with my boyfriend, Snif, Snif!”
I
read this message on my niece’s iPhone, sent in thousandths of a second to her hundreds of friends who answered almost immediately to the call of misfortune of their dear friend. Their responses were similar, full of emoticons and onomatopoeias trying to comfort my niece – not once did her phone ring announcing the call of someone who wanted to console her verbally. I was baffled and did not understand this "NEW METHOD" of empathy and social aid that has developed in young people for more than a decade. To my surprise, at the end of the day my niece looked much more calm and optimistic.
www.origins-magazine.com
MICHELE URSINO|CC-BY-SA 2.0
I am a person who has based her personal development on communication. I did complete a degree in communication sciences for nothing. However, at the time I graduated (in the mid-80s) the basis of interpersonal communication referred to the strict dialogue between a source and a receiver who exchanged ideas verbally and electronic means were left only to mass media sources, such as television radio and the innovative advances of those years. Cell phones and the Internet did not yet exist, or least they were not easily accessible for everyone. As students, we could not begin to imagine the looming revolution in interpersonal communication.
JASON WEAVER|CC-BY-SA 2.0
QUINN DOMBROWSKI|CC-BY-SA 2.0
OLEG1975|CC-BY-2.0
COMMUNICATION | 49
I have to confess that I admire and I feel privileged to have been able to live through these changes that have transformed humanity, above all and as mentioned earlier this new form of communication.
“School-age kids spend an average of 7 ½ hours a day in front of a television, computer, smartphone or other digital device.” — Parents.com However, now with a more critical view, I must mention that, as a result of these changes, people began to not know how to interact with each other sensitively. Is it possible we have lost the ability to “feel” another?
“75% of children are willing to exchange personal information about themselves and family in exchange for online goods.” —SnapShotSpy.com It is incredible that we freely became part of this electronic revolution where a few doodles on a bright screen can comfort us more than a hug from a friend and two cups of coffee while pouring out the story of our heartbreak.
“Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind.” —VTTI By BermudaQuest
26 | ORIGINS
Now the phrase “renew or die” makes sense. All us young ones from the 1980s had to reinvent ourselves in order to fit into this century. Now we “ CHAT” and “TEXT” not to mention “FIND EACH OTHER ON facebook.” We must join this technological culture if we want to “exist”; otherwise, our existence is forgotten in the complex social network of today. Living at the speed of kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes takes away the time we can spend with our friends and family sitting right in front of us. We care more about answering a text message than trying to have a conversation with those close to us. Nowadays, many of us are not surprised when some say technology has brought those from far away close to us and pushed away those who are close. It is time to reflect on the consequences that this may cause in the long run. Is it possible that our children will live in a future of the socially impaired where they cannot look into the eyes of their peers and maintain a conversation longer than a few sentences?
Perhaps our verbal language will be simplified to the degree of "inventing" a language full of guttural sounds that represent universal ideas, thus leaving obsolete the richness and diversity of language. Maybe “please” and “thank you” will be left out of this new language. Perhaps the future consequence of electronic communication will be to simplify the language and substitute or outright eliminate any rule of courtesy since
they take away valuable space in our 140-character messages! I hope that there is still time to hit the brakes and rediscover the forms of interpersonal communication we understood and that worked. www.origins-magazine.com
But hey, at least our thumbs are flexible! ◊
FROM THE SHELF | 51
We recommend… Learning about the past is easy with History in an Hour. This ebook is a concise amount of information about ancient Egypt, from the first pharaoh, Narmer, to the last one, Cleopatra, you can read it all in an hour! Anthony Holmes did a brilliant job at crunching three millennia of pyramids, temples, pharaohs, gods, and tombs into a fascinating 60-page book – and there are even pictures. [Not to mention, $2.99 is a bargain for any history book.] Try it out and others in the History in an Hour collection and let us know what you think. “History in an Hour is a bestselling series of e-books and apps that summarise key areas of world history in digest form, with each title taking no more than sixty minutes to read.” Find out more or submit your History in an Hour:
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www.historyinanhour.com
Have you seen this?
►
It’s Stonehenge – it’s inflatable – it’s Stonehenge you can bounce on!
Specially commissioned to mark the 2012 Olympics, BBC’s David Sillito shares Jeremy Deller’s bouncy creation.
Watch the video now! By BermudaQuest