Bruno Stagno from Costa Rica not only reflects on how responses to the environment can be the main foundation for the inspiration and identity of architecture but also suggests going a step further, envisioning architecture for an entire latitude.
We discussed his current concerns and motivations, the shortcomings and necessary innovations in tropical cities, the relationship between academia and professional practice regarding the environment, and, above all, projections for the future of Costa Rican architecture.
Fabián Dejtiar (FD): The Costa Rican Architects Association has just published a book about your dynamic career – from your beginnings in architecture in Chile, followed by your experience completing Le Corbusier's Firminy Church with José Oubrerie in France, through the establishment of the Institute of Tropical Architecture to winning the National Architecture Prize "Arch. José María Barrantes" in Costa Rica. Nowadays, what are you dedicating your attention and time to? What motivates you?
Bruno Stagno (BS): We have been dedicating a lot of time to promoting the RESET National Standard for Sustainable Construction (Requirements for Sustainable Buildings in the Tropics), both in Costa Rica to gain state support, as it has been selected as the National Standard and included in the National Decarbonization Plan, and in other countries like France, where it is being supported and recommended. Additionally, it is being promoted by the International Union of Architects. This initiative began in 2006 at the Institute of Tropical Architecture and has now transcended to the national and international levels. I believe its time has come.
Personally, I will continue to support the development of RESET, as was the case in its 2020 update, where we introduced a white impact category to certify social housing, which is the most widely built globally. This was something that needed to be available in developing economies. One of the advantages of implementing RESET is that it does not involve additional construction costs.
On the design front, every new commission, no matter how small, is a source of motivation, joy, and a challenge to act with coherence and in harmony with our practice of architecture guided by design principles oriented towards adapting its architectural form to the exceptional aspects of the climate and the environment.
We will continue designing with enthusiasm and commitment, featuring expansive roofs with steep slopes, extended and deep eaves, shaded facades, interiors with soft lighting and cooling effects, facades articulated with eloquent functional elements, textured walls to withstand humidity, high spaces, cross-ventilation, and the incorporation of vegetation as a climate conditioner.
In other words, an architecture of necessity whose design is guided by specific and independent aesthetic principles, which harmonizes with the climate in a manifest exercise of formal freedom.
FD: Given the current and accentuated global challenges we face (climate crisis, health crisis, and economic crisis), the question arises about what we should address first. What do you believe should be the primary role of architecture and urban planning at this moment?
BS: The global situation has a multifaceted impact and interrelation for the entire population and in all regions of the planet. Although there is great uncertainty, and not all variables are yet on the table, I can at least say that any new action to address these three crises you mention should lead to solutions that prioritize the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, increase the use of local resources in terms of labor and materials, and call for thoughtful reflection, with precise innovation, for new architectural and urban solutions.
Until today, the pandemic has revealed, as something decisive in design, the urgent need for quality air in cities, buildings, and homes by incorporating continuous ventilation to combat a virus that remains suspended in the air. Airflows must now be designed with more attention because they are indispensable for health.
Cities, especially those with high density and concentration, will need to provide more open, healthy, and attractive spaces accessible to everyone in all neighborhoods to compensate for confinement in small enclosed spaces. Telecommuting and remote learning, as widespread practices, will bring unprecedented consequences that will lead us to rethink urban planning in cities, currently so focused on automobiles, as well as the architecture of homes, offices, stadiums, green spaces, and industries.
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There will be new requirements for distancing and others, such as the need for access airlocks and individual spaces for telecommuting and remote learning. In addition, the priorities of existing requirements will be assessed differently. Urban planning and architectural standards, especially for social housing complexes, will need to be reviewed, expanding their square footage and design parameters. Considering that, in the context of social housing, less is nothing, the solution will involve increasing both area and cost.
FD: In our brief encounter in Santiago, you mentioned the importance of the tropical latitude: it hosts nearly 50% of the world's population, encompasses 70% of existing forests, and extends over 40% of the habitable surface of the planet, particularly among more than 100 countries with developing economies. In this regard, what is being done wrong in tropical cities? What is the first change or innovation they should make?
BS: To each region, its solution! "In cold climates, streets should be wide, and in hot climates, narrow" was a guideline in the Laws of India to respond to the climate through urban design. In one case, they aimed for the warmth of the sun, and in the other, the refreshing shade. In the tropics, squares should be shaded with trees, providing relief from the sun, unlike the hard, sun-exposed European squares. Regarding abundant rainfall, roofs should be designed to handle it effectively, and cities should efficiently collect rainwater in retention ponds to slow its discharge into natural waterways. Equally important is the reuse of rainwater for the benefit of the population. It is advisable for dense city centers to space tall buildings to promote air renewal, harnessing its benefits to climate-control offices or apartments.
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The resilience capacity of tropical nature is prodigious, so it is advisable to harness this resource to reduce the urban heat island effect, contribute to biodiversity, provide food, and enhance the beauty of cities. Additionally, vegetation and trees offer numerous benefits to well-being and energy savings by cooling urban air, casting shadows, and reducing the demand for air conditioning when needed. It is important to conceive urban landscaping in various layers of vegetation, starting with ground cover, low plants, shrubs, medium-sized trees, and then large trees, all coexisting in different strata, and design vegetation that climbs tall buildings.
To design tropical urbanism and architecture, the first step is a change of attitude to embrace the tropics and its latitude, considering its climate, nature, developing economies, and understanding the experiences that lead to the tropical lifestyle that characterizes its existence.
FD: From the educational perspective in Costa Rica, is enough being done on these issues? Do you think there is a gap between academia and professional practice?
BS: Considerable progress has been made, and there is certainty, but there still exists a gap, which is gradually closing with the new generations. It's a matter of time for academia and practice to align coherently on a widespread scale. It should be acknowledged that for educators, shifting their academic training to a tropical design approach tailored to this latitude is a complex task.
We notice that many students are already questioning their professors with inquiries related to bioclimatic and passive tropical design. There is growing interest in this approach, and an increasing number of constructed buildings serve as testimonials.
FD: What projections do you have for the future of architecture in Costa Rica and tropical cities?
BS: I assume that the demand for sustainable cities and architecture will strengthen. I start from the premise that our practice should have the least possible impact on the global natural ecosystem and that sustainable architecture should not only be perceived as such but should surpass mere savings in water, electricity, and emission reduction.
It is my conviction that what is considered sustainable includes the potential to be replicable on a large scale, and this depends on how successful the solution is. In summary, sustainability equals replicability.
The repetition of universal solutions based on technology is, due to its high cost, very limited in developing economies worldwide. The potential for replication will depend on how well-adapted the building is to the conditions of its environment, including natural, socio-economic, and construction materials, and labor factors.
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It is essential to consider that environmental costs due to greenhouse gas emissions will be added, in the short term, to the manufacturing and transportation costs. We are cautious and analytical of trends and prefer to specify materials from the region, even if they lack green manufacturing labels because their transportation reduces greenhouse gas emissions, thereby benefiting the global ecosystem. We find this decision more suitable because it also supports the local and regional economy.
