Presented in collaboration with AIACV, USGBC Capital Branch and UC Davis.
Architect Steven Ehrlich spoke to a full, captivated audience at the
Visionary event at UC Davis on October 5th about his personal
architectural journey. Ehrlich discussed the foundation of his ideas
that he acquired from his travels abroad and has developed to define his
style of ‘Multicultural Modernism’.
Out of school, Ehrlich became the first Peace Corps volunteer in
Marrakech where he saw how culture and architecture were not simply
coexisting together, but defined, aligned, and adapted together with
their environment. His time in Marrakech taught him how architecture
could not only be simple, but beautiful and sustainable. In his
presentation, Ehrlich described Marrakech as a place where there is
still no central air conditioning; he showed how the city instead has
covered streets and continuous housing with courtyards to take advantage
of air movement to keep cool. The city landscape has blended the
exterior and interior, people and place, as well as local environment
and architecture, and is built of connected structures made of local
materials. Abroad, he saw how shade structures of fabric and geometric
shapes cast beautiful shadows and can be the only decoration needed
while being functionally essential.
With these observations Ehrlich became, as he put it, an ‘architectural
anthropologist”. He brought back to the U.S. the idea of applying the
insights he saw abroad to modern buildings. His buildings are
culturally and environmentally connected, and he stressed that a good
building cannot be informed by only one or the other. He is also a
realist to the modern means and the global opportunities available for
both his built and un-built spaces, while remaining respectful of
history, environment and place. He imbeds sustainable decisions through
passive design, and innovative global technology. With this vision,
Steven Ehrlich has designed modern buildings which serve to reinvigorate
communities by connecting architecture, culture, people and place with
clean lines and great beauty.
For further information, browse Ehrlich’s website where you will find informative write ups and images of his stunning designs.
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