Roadmap 2050

The world famous architect Rem Koolhaas and his Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has designed an elegant solution to global warming resulting in a 80% emissions cut by 2050. The approach is simple but brilliant. The question is whether the field of architecture is ready for this solution.

OMA is notoriously known for its ability to ‘think big’ – to make big solutions and approach the design concept in its broadest terms. In the latest project from probably the most leading architecture company in the world, the bull has been taken by its horns and Rem and his team has confronted the biggest challenge of all – global warming.

The project – a report that came out in April 2010 – is called ”Roadmap 2050: A Practical Guide to a Prosperous, Low-Carbon Europe.” It is a guide to how Europe in 40 years time can live up to the overall goal of drastic cuts in carbon emissions without cutting down the pace of development or human welfare. According to OMA, this ‘have your cake and eat it too’ ambition is fulfilled through a simple approach which, in short, can be explained by forgetting the fetters of the national states and sharing the world’s natural resources as brothers.

The thesis is that the climate in Europe (and North Africa, if the project is to have effect) through the use of existing methods of creating renewable energy is capable of generating enough power to reduce the use of fossil fuels with 80-85%. All you have to do is utilize the wind in northern Europe in the winter time and the sun in southern Europe (incl. North Africa) in the summer time – and then exchange the electricity generated across national borders. In their presentation video, OMA says:

”Until now individual nation states have been responsible for their own development and implementation [of renewable energy sources]. As part of this [new] design countries are not limited to relying on renewable energy sources that only thrive based on the climate of their geographical location.”

One of the most fascinating elements of the project is that it does not depend on the invention of some new technological device that is to save mankind. The project is a logistical solution, a new shuffling of the cards that have already been played the world.

The idea behind the OMA proposal is so razor sharp that you can cut yourself on it. And the philosophy behind is almost beautiful in its enforced solidarity. I will leave it up to brighter political minds than mine to judge how realistic it is that Europe (not to mention Northern Africa) will be able to share the outcome of their renewable energy sources across national borders.

An article in The Guardian about the Roadmap 2050 project points out a valid thing in relation to the field of architecture; namely, that the architect – when choosing to tackle challenges the size of global warming – bite off more than he can chew. Or as it is written in the article: ”What on earth qualifies architects who spend most of their time designing museums or office buildings or Prada stores to pronounce on these subjects [global warming]?”

In effect, I couldn’t agree more. It always leaves a nasty taste in ones mouth when ordinary mortal architects in very large shoes promote themselves as the saviours of planet, insisting on saving everything and everybody through some kind of design.

In the case of Rem Koolhaas, one could argue that OMA might be precisely the kind of architectural think tank that has the calibre to deal with major problems that go beyond architecture. The ”Roadmap 2050: A Practical Guide to a Prosperous, Low-Carbon Europe” is also developed as a co-operation between OMA and, among others, McKinsey & Company; KEMA and The Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, vouching for the quality of the output. Besides, the project is developed by OMA’s think tank, AMO, that transcends the traditional boundaries of architecture and operates in a main distributing frame between media, politics, sociology, technology, publishing and graphic design.

No matter what, one cannot take the beauty, simplicity and sharpness out of OMA’s idea of a sustainable future with continuous growth. Whether continuous growth in the long run is possible in a limited world, Rem Koolhaas can elaborate on next time when he, as it looks like, realizes himself as a self-declared philosopher.

This contribution has previously been published in the Danish magazine Atlas

References:

The Guardian
OMA
Download the report Roadmap 2050