Organic Architecture

Renato, Organic Architecture and

Permaculture “The ideal union”

Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world through design approaches so sympathetic and well integrated with its site that  buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated composition. Modern organic buildings are never linear or rigidly geometric. Instead, wavy lines and curved shapes suggest natural forms. It´s   architecture which evolves from and blends with the environment.
The idea of “Organic Architecture” refers not only to the buildings’ literal relationship to the natural surroundings, but how the buildings’ design is carefully thought about as if it were a unified organism. From the windows, to the floors, to the individual chairs intended to fill the space. Everything relates to one another, reflecting the symbiotic ordering systems of nature.
In organic architecture the design should be sustainable and inspired by nature and like a seed…be adaptable and flexible so that it grows, unfolds and flows from the site itself. It should be unique in spirit and express the most profound feelings of the artist/architect.
For Renato, architecture is a logical consequence of  sculpture. In his sculptural works he has always given importance to interior spaces, which has generated in him an aesthetic understanding of architecture. Actually, many of his sculptures can be interpreted as “fantastic architecture”. In 1998 Renato created his first architectonic work, the “Natural Home”, outside of Cancun and owned by Mrs. Adriana Alvarez. In this house you can see a clear example of Renato´s style of sculpture being applied to architecture.

For Renato, a habitable space should start with organic volumes, almost entirely without straight walls and corners. This produces a visual continuity where all of the elements are integrated and where one space leads you to another. Integration with the entire natural environment, through the use of local raw materials (wood, stone, etc.) is also of utmost importance because it makes it appear that the construction is growing out of the earth. Since respect for nature must be reflected in his work the use of sustainable technology is vital.

“Permaculture, which deals with the application of ethics and principles of universal designs in planning, development, maintenance, organization and the preservation of living spaces capable of self sustainability has allowed me to see, more clearly, how architecture and environment can work together in harmony, not only on an esthetic level, but on a practical level as well. So, while the organic home provides the living conditions that can provide a feeling of a union with nature through the blending in with the surrounding landscape, the practical experience of permaculture, which includes the production of food, the saving of energy, and the preservation of natural resources allows for a definite contribution to the environmental and social crises that we are presently living in.”
Renato has been able to express  this inter-relationship and co-existence between organic architecture and permaculture through the construction of  his home and that of Adriana Alvarez. Below are some examples of Adriana Alvarez house in Puerto Morelos Mexico.

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