Ken Yeang, a pioneer in designing sustainable high-rise buildings and a professor of practice on the Texas A&M University Department of Architecture faculty, critiqued student design work during an April 25 visit to the college.
During the critique, Yeang recalled a recent conversation he had with Rodney Hill, professor of architecture at Texas A&M, when the two discussed how, in the near future, buildings that don’t generate their own energy might not get building permits.
“That’s a frightening thought, because it’s going to affect the way we design buildings,” he said. “One of the things we should do,” said Yeang, “is have a workshop to see what we could come up with energy as a driver of building design and how this could affect future architecture.”
Yeang had all sorts of questions about the students’ home designs as they presented them. “Which way is the wind coming from? What direction is north? Where’s the living room?”
He interspersed his critiques of students’ work with general comments about the world of architecture.
He said a successful architect has four qualities:
“An architect should study plans as a hobby,” he said. “Whenever you go to the library, go pick up a book about architecture and study plans. When you do, you find there are a number of ways strategically to plan a building.”
During his visit, Yeang also had a series of meetings with college faculty to discuss ongoing research initiatives.
