Bob FoxMan of the Times | Basics
Bachelor of Architecture, Cornell University; Masters of Architecture, Harvard University ;Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council, New York chapter; Founding Partner, Fox & Fowle; Partner, Cook+Fox Architects. |
What started you on the path toward sustainability? I grew up on a farm in Red Hook, in upstate New York, and always spent a lot of time outdoors. I was fascinated and inspired by the natural world, and I credit this immersion with much of my later interest in creating beautiful, environmentally responsible buildings. Who inspired you, or nurtured your talent? I learned a great deal from an architect named Spero Daltas, for whom I worked when I was a young architect living in Rome. I was also inspired by Werner Seligman, one of my architecture professors at Cornell, and Bill McGilvray, a classmate at Harvard. There have been many inspiring leaders in the green movement, though my short list would have to include Ray Anderson of Interface Carpet; Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute; and Paul Hawken, Janine Benyus, Bill Browning, and Dr. Eric Chivianat Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment.. What gives you hope in your industry? The rapid growth and widespread acceptance of the US Green Building Council. In just 10 years, the USGBC has grown from zero to over 6,000 member companies, representing more than a million people. What worries you most in this area? It worries me that we may run out of time to mitigate the dramatic effects of climate change. What advice do you give to young people who want to make a difference in the world? Work hard, work real hard. As my grandfather used to say, "you can't coast uphill." What is the role of technology in sustainable design? Technology can help us find ways to reduce or eliminate waste, create products without using fossil fuels, educate society about the impacts of our choices, and become more aware of natural systems, so that we may learn to emulate them. | 