Low-Tech Handbook | Low-Tech as a Strategy for Sustainable Architecture
Book Publication “Low-Tech Handbook”: Low-Tech as a Strategy for Sustainable Architecture
“Low-tech” is becoming established as a term in the building sector. This is indicated by the numerous foundational studies as well as the growing number of publisher-led publications in this field (Detail, Birkhäuser). In the scientific field, the Leibniz Information Centre for Science and Technology has recorded a significant increase in the use of the term “low-tech” in the disciplines of civil engineering and architecture from around 2009 onward; by 2012, the number of references had increased more than tenfold. Since 2020, the term has ranked at around 2,000 mentions per year.
Nevertheless, books in this field tend to focus on selected typologies, such as office or pavilion buildings, on individual building materials, especially brick and rammed-earth construction, or on selected aspects such as building cooling. They generally rely on best-practice projects and descriptions of successful flagship projects. There is little foundational knowledge on the challenges involved and the instruments suitable for addressing them. Moreover, there is no rigorously structured and accessible compendium that can serve as practical guidance for those who will play a key role in broadening the approach: building authorities, developers, and planners. Support is also needed for communication with users, building operators, and works or staff councils. This includes the aspect of use and user involvement, which receives too little attention in relation to technical building questions in the context of low-tech. The “Low-Tech Handbook” aims to close this existing gap and provide a comprehensive and, above all, application-oriented guide.
According to the current state of research, “low-tech” is the search for a human-centered, resource- and energy-saving design strategy. The “Low-Tech Handbook” provides an application-oriented manual for this purpose. It refers to fundamental design principles of simple and robust construction and is therefore suitable both for new buildings and for renovation projects, ranging from office and administrative buildings to residential buildings. Building on the current state of knowledge regarding requirements, effects, and interrelationships, it supports all parties involved in an increasingly complex building practice.
Using “patterns,” the principles of simple and robust construction are structured, contextualized, and illustrated in terms of their applicability and effects. In doing so, the handbook draws on the approach of Christopher Alexander and his “pattern language.”
The patterns are systematically structured and presented in a consistent graphic and textual format. They follow principles, are grouped into chapters and overarching themes, and organize the content of the handbook.
To facilitate access, examples or statements from discussions and interviews highlight special characteristics or specific challenges. In this way, the term low-tech, which is still strongly associated with academic discourse, is complemented by an accessible practical dimension. Low-tech is contextualized as a process of negotiation and as part of an ongoing development with deep historical roots. The aim is for the patterns to be transferable to recurring fields of application that cover the entire spectrum from needs assessment to use, without being too narrowly aligned with the current state of technology. In this way, the handbook itself is intended to achieve a certain degree of robustness and longevity.