Post date: Feb 24, 2016 3:45:11 AM
Assessing architecture in a comprehensive way has long been an elusive ambition. The Quadruple Net Value has been formulated by Dennis Jerke as an attempt to produce a complete measure of sustainability. The idea is to measure the "triple bottom line" of economic, social, and environmental impact, and then assess whether the real estate is appealing and attractive. Ultimately, only the places that we love will be preserved and are thus truly sustainable. Professor Booth and I have elaborated on Dennis' formulation and prefer the simpler title of "enduring value" to convey that the property can sustain over a long period.
Ari has been formulating a set of measurements to capture the enduring value of a project. We will use this set of criteria to assess our projects.
Some criteria are quantitative and can be calculated based on numbers available from the BIM or simulation results. Other criteria require qualitative judgments. Some of the qualitative judgments are based on understanding operations and impacts of the design based on inspection of drawings and texts. However, some of the qualitative judgments address the human sensory experience of the environment. These can be derived from experiencing the environment in a CAVE or other immersive visualization. The inhabitant of the virtual building and urban setting can walk through the space, observing the materials, the shadows and light, the color, and the character to assess the sensory appeal. Sound can be implied, or perhaps can be dubbed into the environment. Touch, taste, and smell can be implied by the materials and sights.
This comprehensive assessment can be relatively objective and can enable the developer and architect to make a better decision about the design.