The Avian Ethics of Facades: Considering Wildlife Constituencies in Architectural Design

Collisions with building facades result in the deaths of hundreds of millions of birds annually in the United States. The ways in which building facades are designed can have direct impact on this tragic number, either positively or negatively. This paper argues that our conception of architectural ethics must be expanded to address buildings’ impact on wildlife constituencies, taking the building envelope and its effects on birds as a primary test case. The effective integration of bird-safe approaches to facade design require the architect to possess, in equal measures, ecological and technological literacy. An understanding of the migration patterns and other behaviors of birds must be paired with detailed knowledge about glass properties and fabrication possibilities. Ultimately, as the paper explains, this approach requires us to form an expanded concept of subjectivity and site in architecture.

https://doi.org/10.35483/ACSA.AM.106.35

Volume Editors
Amir Ameri & Rebecca O'Neal Dagg

ISBN
978-1-944214-15-9