Sim Van der Ryn is President of The Ecological Design Collaborative, a design and consulting practice providing comprehensive services though the non-profit Ecological Design Institute established in 1969. He has been at the forefront of integrating ecological principles into the built environment, creating multi-scale solutions driven by nature's intelligence for over 40 years. Sim has served as California's first energy-conscious State Architect, authored seven influential books, including Ecological Design, and won numerous honours and awards for his leadership and innovation in architecture and planning including a Fellowship of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts (1997); Rockefeller Scholar in Residence, Bellagio, Italy (1997 and 2013); a Commendation for Excellence in Technology, California Council American Institute of Architects (1981); and a Guggenheim Fellowship (1971). He is an adjunct architecture faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley.
"In Design for an Empathic World, Sim Van Der Ryn lays out timeless
principles of how to become a true denizen of a living planet. His
humane and insightful grasp of nature and society, expressed in
this lyric and beautifully illustrated work, reveal Sim to be a
treasured and iconic master of the craft of design and
architecture."
--Paul Hawken, author of "Blessed Unrest"
"Designers of my generation leave academia searching for ways to
make their practice meaningful beyond themselves. Design for an
Empathic World is a field guide for a new creative journey, written
and illustrated by a wise 'sherpa' who I have long looked to for
answers. It makes the case for architecture as an act of love, a
peaceful defiance, and a constant response to economy, environment,
and society."
--Emily Pilloton, Founder + Executive Director, Project H
Design
"In Design for an Empathic World, Sim Van Der Ryn weaves the
architecture of empathy for self, others and nature into a vibrant,
compassionate whole. Brimming with gratitude, Van Der Ryn tells
stories from his life as an architect, teacher and thought leader.
His lesson, that only with empathy can we repair the fabric of
humans and nature."
--Jonathan F. P. Rose
"In this evocative and rich journey, the lessons that Sim shares
with us are significant, inspiring, and create fertile ground for a
beautiful reframing of the future. Design for an Empathic World is
like a love letter to architects, artists, dreamers and all who
enjoy making and inhabiting place."
--Michelle Kaufmann, LEED AP, Michelle Kaufmann Studio
"With great wisdom and lucidity, Sim Van der Ryn illuminates our
world, bestowing his insights into design and gracing us with his
extraordinary art. A tour de force that leaves the reader with a
deeper sense of the possibilities for beauty in our lives and
sustainable living on our planet."
--Robert B. Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy,
University of California at Berkeley
"...tells his personal story while also arguing for collaborating
with people and nature..."
-- "Planning"
"...[suggests] ways to create a better world that focuses on the
people who use and are affected by the infrastructure, as well as
the need to reconnect design to human and natural elements."
-- "Reference & Research Book News"
"In its pages, Mr. Van der Ryn turns inward to the thoughts and
feelings underlying his work as it has evolved over a
lifetime."
-- "Point Reyes Light"
"Not everybody willing to change their inner self will have the
same path as Sim Van der Ryn, but by sharing his story he's given
them something enjoyable to read (and look at, with his watercolors
that are sprinkled throughout the book) while they search for their
own paths."
-- "A Daily Dose of Architecture"
"The author effectively, often poetically, conveys his
message...Inspiring, and beautifully expressed..."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
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