In its November 5 report on a Greenbuild discussion, Metropolis describes an industry questioning the association of new materials with quality and progress. Canadian Architect’s November issue examines standards and frameworks for circular construction. Together, they raise a question about how we recognize architectural advancement. A new façade makes investment visible. An existing building that becomes easier to maintain may look much the same. In scenarioDNA’s DEDR framework, the tension is between a Dominant story that expresses progress through visible newness and a Disruptive story that questions what counts as improvement.
