The Opportunity – From the prehistoric period to today people around the world make/made their houses from locally sourced, organic materials. These structures represent complex relationships between people (culture; society; knowledges), landscapes (places; ecologies), and materials (properties; sustainability). As such, they are unique focal points to consider human/landscape interactions, systems of material procurement and use, and human health and well-being.
The Objective – Bring together interested collaborators from academia and beyond to develop specific research strands and questions using ‘the House’ as a focal point to consider wider themes, including human-nature interactions, material/architectural sustainability, human health and well-being, causes and the mechanisms that drive change.
What can we learn from organic, light framed (seemingly temporary) structures found around the world?
What are the relationships between people, ecology/landscape, health (including mental health)?
How can we balance a healthy environment with how people live?
How can we better induce change while preserving cultural complexity?
Cultural Landscapes and Social Spaces (CLaSS) is led by: Brendan O’Neill (Archaeology) with co-applicants Anita Radini (Archaeology) and Samantha Martin (Architecture).
CLaSS is a 2022-2023 strategic project funded by the UCD Earth Institute.
