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The mastery of sustainable development and its application to architecture and town planning is one of the challengers to minimize the vulnerable environment of the world we live in.
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 Solar energy, recyclable materials, such as steel is, targeted changes in city design, passive houses and bioclimatic architecture, are the many answers possible to define a highly topical issue.
Following this guide lines, the network of European architects Archiworld invited the director Jacques Allard to film the documentary "Last Call for Planet Earth". It is a travel trip around the world in order to film assertions and projects fitting within the sustainable development outlook: twelve of the most important architects of our time gave their testimony about their environmental efforts in practicing architecture, from Japan to Brazil, passing through China, Europe and the United States.
The documentary was presented around Europe architecture and movies festivals and is still currently being exhibited around the world. Since the first launch in October 2008, 22 European channels showed interest in broadcasting the movie to a larger audience. And the DVD can be ordered online, in the official web site of the movie.
Produced with the collaboration of 15 partners, among them is ArcelorMittal, reaffirming its commitment to a better and sustainable world.
Synopsis
In France Françoise-Hélène Jourda tries to take her efforts to work with renewable materials, soft tech and bioclimatology, whilst taking along her partners and clients. Her goal is to encourage a different way of living in order to put a stop to the destruction of the environment.
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In Germany, Christoph Ingenhoven uses the concept of large glass spaces with an innovative design, focused on ecology and the sophisticated use of technology. His building for Lufthansa in Frankfurt, for example, is a project linking "High Tech" to "Low Energy".
In Italy, with the Milan fair in Rho Pero, Massimiliano Fuksas redeveloped a section of the city. A huge glass blanket, supported by steel tree columns, ondulates in a succession of hills and craters and protects a long footpath as well as independent architectural structures.
The Belgian Jo Crepain favours architectural quality, which he views as the first form of sustainability: quality of the structure, insulation and materials – of bricks for the most part – high ceilings, adequate natural ventilation and integration into green spaces.
In London, Ivan Harbour, from the agency of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners shows that clean technologies are unavoidable today. The office participated actively in the development of passive design by using water, wind and sun.
In Finland Markku Komonen allows us to reflect on his housing projects in Guinea and efficient offices in a former warehouse, which is part of Helsinki's industrial heritage. However, he warns us: sustainable architecture should not be just a style or a label.
In Vienna, Austria, Georg Reinberg shows us the quality of passive houses. He explains how they work. This Austrian pioneer of ecological construction is extremely demanding when it comes to energy solutions.
Examples from the Orient
In the Orient, two renowned architects who are total opposites of each other: the Japanese Kengo Kuma and the Chinese Qingyun Ma.
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 The Japanese uses ancestral cultural tradition, which thoroughly blends architecture, nature and human beings. His projects favour the use of wood, bamboo, stone and even raw earth, which he applies along with new technologies.
Evoking the issues specific to his country in full over-consumption, the Chinese is involved in megastructures that he tries to manage by taking into account environmental data.
Other countries
The Canadian Daniel Pearl responds along the same lines and fears "green washing" for marketing purposes: a project appears to be "green" through added technologies, disconnected from the architectural aspect.
In the south of Brazil, Curitiba, with few means and lots of creativity, the town planner Jaime Lerner, ex-mayor of the city and Governor of the State, has on several occasions been responsible for the urban revolution, which made the city an international reference in ecological, economic and social terms.
From the EUA, Thom Mayne confirms architecture is global. The 2005 Pritzker Prize winner today designs prestigious buildings resulting from a desire for sustainable development. He was recently chosen to develop a zero energy school project.
Last Call for Planet Earth
117 min - subtitles: FR-UK-NL-DE-SP-IT-PT
European or American standard DVD - 27,5 €
European standard FULL HD 1080 (BLU RAY) - 68 €
Post and handling
Belgium 5 €
Europe 7 €
Rest of the World 9 €
(All prices VAT included)
Pictures:
1. The Milan fair in Rho Pero by Massimiliano Fuksas In Milan, Italy/Archiworld courtesy
2. The filming in Curitiba, Brazil/Archiworld courtesy
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