I really liked this article because it focused on the social and cultural benefits are green architecture. Instead of just looking at how we can help improve environmental natural conditions, it combines the planning with what would be useful for social gathering places. I agree with the fact that green spaces are a city’s central gathering places. New York’s parks are a great example because they are always crowded with people interacting. Green agriculture is not just about fixing ecological problems, which is definitely very important, but it also puts an emphasis on sustainable living when it comes to economic and social sustainability. I did, however, disagree with the fact that greenery represents a city’s identity. I specifically believe this when it comes to New York City. I think one of the biggest characteristics of New York is its lack of greenery. It is known for its tall buildings and beautiful skyline, but not for its greenery. We do have major parks that people love to go to, however, I do not think they contribute the identity of our city.
The process of planning and implementation that goes into the process of green agriculture seems very efficient and impressive, specifically in Baku. I was looking at the Table 1 on page 537, and I was very impressed by the significant and consistent growth of green spaces over the five-year period in Baku. Each year from 2005 to 2010 the acres of green spaces, including trees along streets, parks, and gardens, all increased dramatically. I like the fact that it takes existing structures, and instead of just demolishing them, it gets regenerated and adapted into something new. This is very efficient and also maintains the identity of what existed before. It takes something that already exists and transforms industrial spaces into green architecture structures that serve many purposes and create spatial organization.
It would be great if New York can learn from Baku and incorporate green architecture into the city. It is very difficult because of the extreme population here and lack of space, however it is very necessary. There is constantly construction, including in public spaces, so even if we have little space to work with, we really should be using green architecture in order to still make sure everything is done in the most environmentally efficient and socially beneficial ways. We always talk about how environmental efforts are not always seen as a priority by Americans, but if we spread word about all the social and economic benefits associated with green architecture and sustainable planning, specifically through the education system, maybe we can turn into one.
