Sim Van der Ryn
Encyclopedia
Sim Van der Ryn is acknowledged as a leader in "sustainable architecture." He is also a researcher and educator. Van der Ryn's driving professional interest has been applying principles of physical and social ecology
to architecture
and environmental design
.
Van der Ryn distinguished himself among those designers and planners who have pioneered sustainable design
at the community scale and the building-specific scale. He has designed everything from single-family and multi-family housing, to community facilities, retreat centers and resorts, to learning facilities, as well as office and commercial buildings http://www.vanderryn.com/va/index-projects.html.
Sim Van der Ryn's family left the Netherlands
during World War II
, settling in Kew Gardens, Queens
, then eventually Great Neck, New York
. Sim grew up with a sense of closeness with nature and a fascination with its details. He got his training in architecture at the University of Michigan
, Ann Arbor, and obtained state architecture licenses and national architectural registration. He has long lived in California.
In the exploratory and energetic latter part of the 20th century, Van der Ryn and other architects and designers with similar interests were able to pioneer new technologies, systems, materials, and design
solutions to create environments intended to be sensitive to place and climate, as well as responsive to human needs.
Van der Ryn was appointed California State Architect in the administration of Governor Jerry Brown
, during which time he developed the United States' first government-initiated energy efficient office building program and led adoption of energy standards and disability access standards for all construction in California.
In the 1970s Van der Ryn founded the Farallones Institute which helped to create national awareness of "ecologically integrated living design." The Farallones Institute designed, built and managed an urban and a rural research/teaching center for studying appropriate technologies, energy-efficiency, organic agriculture, land restoration, community design and ecologically sustainable energy and waste systems, design and construction. The urban center was called the Integral Urban House
. Van der Ryn later founded the Ecological Design Institute (EDI), Van der Ryn Architects' non-profit partner, which carries on this work.
"The worst thing you can do is keep making no changes," Van der Ryn once said while addressing an assembly of architects. "That's where the risk lies." Given America's dependence on foreign oil, he has proposed (as an instance), energy security
is one of the country's greatest challenges and the status quo won't do. U.S. companies, he believes, would pay more attention to "green" buildings if their operational costs for energy bills were calculated on the same balance sheet as construction costs.
Van der Ryn has reported he has noticed, while driving around America, that many builders still seem to pay no attention to one of the cheapest ways to save on energy bills: positioning the house on its site to maximize passive solar heat.
Sim Van der Ryn has been presented with numerous honors and awards, including: the Goff Chair of Innovative Architecture, University of Oklahoma
(2001); Fellowship of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts (1997); Rockefeller Scholar in Residence, Bellagio, Italy (1997); the President's Award for Planning, American Society of Landscape Architects (Colorado
Chapter); Arbolera de Vida Master Plan, Albuquerque, New Mexico
(1997); the Nathaniel Owings Award, California Council American Institute of Architects (1996); a Commendation for Excellence in Technology, California Council American Institute of Architects (1981); and a Guggenheim Fellowship
(1971).
Van der Ryn is in the architecture faculty at the University of California, Berkeley
.
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
to architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
and environmental design
Environmental design
Environmental design is the process of addressing surrounding environmental parameters when devising plans, programs, policies, buildings, or products...
.
Van der Ryn distinguished himself among those designers and planners who have pioneered sustainable design
Sustainable design
Sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.-Intentions:The intention of sustainable design is to "eliminate negative environmental...
at the community scale and the building-specific scale. He has designed everything from single-family and multi-family housing, to community facilities, retreat centers and resorts, to learning facilities, as well as office and commercial buildings http://www.vanderryn.com/va/index-projects.html.
Sim Van der Ryn's family left the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, settling in Kew Gardens, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, then eventually Great Neck, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Sim grew up with a sense of closeness with nature and a fascination with its details. He got his training in architecture at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Ann Arbor, and obtained state architecture licenses and national architectural registration. He has long lived in California.
In the exploratory and energetic latter part of the 20th century, Van der Ryn and other architects and designers with similar interests were able to pioneer new technologies, systems, materials, and design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
solutions to create environments intended to be sensitive to place and climate, as well as responsive to human needs.
Van der Ryn was appointed California State Architect in the administration of Governor Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
, during which time he developed the United States' first government-initiated energy efficient office building program and led adoption of energy standards and disability access standards for all construction in California.
In the 1970s Van der Ryn founded the Farallones Institute which helped to create national awareness of "ecologically integrated living design." The Farallones Institute designed, built and managed an urban and a rural research/teaching center for studying appropriate technologies, energy-efficiency, organic agriculture, land restoration, community design and ecologically sustainable energy and waste systems, design and construction. The urban center was called the Integral Urban House
Integral Urban House
The Integral Urban House was a pioneering 1970s experiment in self-reliant urban homesteading. The house was located 1576 Fifth St. in Berkeley, California. The founders were California State Architect Sim Van der Ryn and Bill &...
. Van der Ryn later founded the Ecological Design Institute (EDI), Van der Ryn Architects' non-profit partner, which carries on this work.
"The worst thing you can do is keep making no changes," Van der Ryn once said while addressing an assembly of architects. "That's where the risk lies." Given America's dependence on foreign oil, he has proposed (as an instance), energy security
Energy security
Energy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
is one of the country's greatest challenges and the status quo won't do. U.S. companies, he believes, would pay more attention to "green" buildings if their operational costs for energy bills were calculated on the same balance sheet as construction costs.
Van der Ryn has reported he has noticed, while driving around America, that many builders still seem to pay no attention to one of the cheapest ways to save on energy bills: positioning the house on its site to maximize passive solar heat.
Sim Van der Ryn has been presented with numerous honors and awards, including: the Goff Chair of Innovative Architecture, University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
(2001); Fellowship of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts (1997); Rockefeller Scholar in Residence, Bellagio, Italy (1997); the President's Award for Planning, American Society of Landscape Architects (Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Chapter); Arbolera de Vida Master Plan, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
(1997); the Nathaniel Owings Award, California Council American Institute of Architects (1996); a Commendation for Excellence in Technology, California Council American Institute of Architects (1981); and a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
(1971).
Van der Ryn is in the architecture faculty at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Further reading
- Calthorpe, Peter and Sim Van der Ryn (1986). "Sustainable Communities: A New Design Synthesis for Cities, Suburbs and Towns." San Francisco: Sierra Club BooksSierra Club BooksSierra Club Books is the publishing division of the Sierra Club, founded in 1960 by then Sierra Club President David Brower. Volumes intended for club members had been published prior to 1960. In addition, books under their name had been published before 1960, but done through already established...
. ISBN 0-87156-629-X
- Van der Ryn, Sim and Stuart Cowan (1996). "Ecological Design." Washington, DC: Island Press. ISBN 1-55963-389-1