The Anthropocene is often described as the epoch in which humans reshaped the planet to sustain habitation. One of its most far-reaching consequences is climate change, now evident from the deepest oceans to the highest layers of the atmosphere. It is increasingly recognized that current building strategies, despite good intentions, are not going to solve the crisis, and that the crisis is not related to a lack of technology—the necessary knowledge and systems already exist. Rather, it is a cultural and political challenge requiring a fundamental rethinking of values, practices, and priorities. Architects possess the capacity to imagine radical alternatives and to project futures that are both unexpected and generative. Given the discipline’s disproportionate contribution to climate change and its entanglement with technological, cultural, and ecological concerns, architecture is uniquely positioned to provide visionary, attitude-changing speculation. With an emphasis on questioning technology’s role, this thesis section explored new and radical relationships between humans, technology, and the built environment, proposing architectures that are not merely responsive but boldly aspirational, advancing more expansive, holistic, and planetary futures.
