>Download William McDonough's lecture (.mp3 format/107.5 MB)
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By Betsy Rhame, '01

Though people are becoming increasingly aware of our impact on the environment, according to William McDonough, a world-renowned architect and designer, today's architectural designs do not usually reflect the change in mindset. He says we continue to build as we did 40 years ago.

"We have the same designs yet our consciousness has changed," McDonough explained to the more than 700 people who packed Jones Auditorium and Jones Chapel on April 12 to hear him. "It seems so simple really, yet it's hard to do."

McDonough spoke on how humans can change their designs to more earth-friendly ones. His slides provided examples of buildings where these concepts are already in place. During his lecture, McDonough urged audience members "to rethink the way we make things."

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if the human edifice could produce as much oxygen as a tree?" he said. "Let's imagine what a 100 percent sustainable world would look like and then work toward it. Of course we're not going to get there tomorrow, but we can begin to imagine it."

McDonough has won three U.S. presidential awards, and Time magazine recognized him as the "Hero for the Planet" in 1999.

Said Professor of Biology Janice Swab, "[He] is teaching us all that it can be easy being green."