Luis De Garrido Self Sufficient Architecture

The driving force behind Luis de Garrido’s research is to ultimately identify the most appropriate social mechanisms that motivate us as humans. This transcendence is only possible when we push ourselves towards self-sufficiency and independence as individuals.
Luis is especially dedicated to the design of environments and self-sufficient spaces that provide for our most basic needs in energy, water and food. All of which must be free of social, political, economic and religious interests. This freedom eases movement towards the overall objective of becoming self-sufficient and independent as individuals.
The following guidelines are used to carry out these self-sufficient environments (in water, energy and food) all at the lowest possible cost and highest efficiency possible.

• Encourage changing habits of humans
• Improve the design of buildings so they require hardly any energy
• Remove most technological artifacts included in buildings
• Eliminate the monopoly of coercive energy companies

At present, largely due to economic interests, the understanding is the more technology used the better. However in this so-called ‘sustainable’ and ‘self-sufficient’ model there is no effort to try and improve upon it and educate citizens. Too often the consumption of energy producing devices are pushed without any thought put into it and clumsily slapped onto buildings. All this with the purpose of powering unnecessary devices that suck our pockets dry and keep us entertained. The underlying problem is that these devices consume tons of energy and resources and generate waste and pollution. These technological quick fixes have a lifecycle of about 20 years and quickly become another piece of junk in the landfill. Once in the landfill these devices can never reach the break-even point often promised after ‘x’ amount of years. On top of that, using an increasing amount of technological artifacts drastically raises the costs of buildings.
As an alternative, a healthier self-sufficient model should be established and promoted known to by Luis as the ‘integral architectural model.’ This model focuses on improving building design, educating society and using the least amount of technological additives as possible.
Through educational outreach programs our customs and behavior can slowly evolve and change. Eventually, by reconsidering and decreasing our energy, water and resource needs and through the design of better buildings our consumption of resources can be drastically reduced. The end result is buildings with little need for energy and what energy they do need is produced using the least amount of technological devices, at a reduced cost and affordable for the majority of the population. At the same time the buildings can generate water and basic food needs allowing the occupants to survive on their own