What Drives Us
CO Adaptive perceives architecture as the processes that make a building, rather than the final object. Our studio is concerned with how we are building; understanding our work not as the creation of a moment in time—but rather as the practices that inform the manifestation of replicable solutions.
Architecture is the result of a complex system and supply chain; encompassing where material travels from, how it is extracted, manufactured and handled, and the effects these building products have on our environment and the people working with it. We care deeply about labor practices, from our materials, to our studio, and on our construction sites. We find joy in creating environments that are healthy, beautiful, and will last for generations.
We aim to strike a balance between reducing operational energy and embodied energy in our work; agendas that are often at odds in building construction. In order to retrofit an old building for energy efficiency and to fulfill new uses, existing material is often removed, and new material is added for envelope performance and functional purposes. It is along this boundary that we find our mission to innovate and create high-performing, energy- and resource-efficient solutions.
We have learnt that resilience is a goal that extends beyond any single structure and into the community and coalitions we build through solving these difficult challenges. Learning from, and augmenting upon the work of our peers and partners is paramount. Collaboration will always take us further.
The tasks of repair and maintenance are imperatives for this generation. We have taken plenty from our planet, now it’s time to work with what we already have.
Energy Efficiency
Most of our projects are designed to meet the exacting Passive House sustainability standard that aims to reduce active heating and cooling loads by 80-90%, which—alongside the deployment of solar energy capture—achieves net positive operational energy.
The Passive House methodology represents a win-win for people and the planet. Alongside the energy savings, the quality of this type of building practice ensures the lowest maintenance over time and second-to-none quality of living.
In 2019, CO Adaptive made a pledge to go foam-free for all insulation we use in our projects. Foams are petroleum based, and eliminating the extraction and use of petroleum is critical for two main reasons: firstly, the high environmental impact of foam production and installation, and secondly due to the negative impacts of foam insulations on indoor air quality. We are continuing to learn about all the foam-free ways to insulate our buildings.
Circularity
Our resilient building practices focus on the craft with which our existing urban fabric is repaired, and the creative ways in which material reuse is utilized to maximize what we already have. This prioritizes the value of labor over material value.
Our practice does its best to reuse materials found in the buildings we renovate, thus preserving the embodied carbon of existing structures. Alongside our clients and partners, we carefully assess and analyze what must go and what can be reused. It is in these careful acts of maintenance, repair, and reuse where we feel the building industry has room for growth and discovery; a necessary process to take our cities into the next century.
In an effort to have more impact on this process of taking old buildings apart; including reducing waste, and ensuring healthy and sustainable product specifications, we launched a construction arm, CO Adaptive Building in 2021, at the 10 year anniversary of our design studio. Since beginning our construction practice, our architects are constantly learning from our carpenters, and together, they work through ways in which the two sides collaborate closely; rejoining two areas of expertise of our industry—design and craftsmanship—that we feel have drifted too far apart.