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e2: The art and science of Renzo Piano

e2-design 3.4 Renzo Piano

    1. The intro says: "it is clear that human activity is the cause of climate change"-how long have we known this? What motivates some groups to deny this?
    2. e2 or "e squared" means what in this sense, and how is it different from many other approaches to environmental decisions?
    3. Morgan Freeman or Brad Pitt?
    4. Have you ever visited the California Academy of Sciences (CAS)?
    5. What “story” is Renzo Piano telling?
    6. What environmental ethic went into the energy lab?
    7. If the earthquake of 1989 had not happened, do you think the CAS would have been built?
    8. What is our mission and "statement" here at the elab? (we opened the same year as CAS)
    9. What brought Renzo to the project? Why did he come?
    10. How did the creative process in the film differ from “normal” design processes? 
    11. What do you notice about all of Renzo's projects?
    12. How is the term "transparency" used at CAS? Where can you see it in our elab?
    13. Compare how the old and new museums fit into the park and the hills behind them?
    14. How does the CAS project combine honesty and green building?
    15. What do they mean by “biomorphic”?
    16. Look up "biophilic" building design. How is this relevant to the CAS and the elab?
    17. Why is it important that the three museums are interwoven?
    18. The CAS project combines research and education. Why might this be familiar to you?
    19. What two factors enable native species on the roof to resist invasive species?
    20. A donor comes to you offering to support your dream project: what would you imagine?
    21. We will soon learn about runoff and something called “water transit time”. How does the roof increase water transit time and why is this important?
    22. Why is it critical to show people coral reefs in person?
    23. Note the square white sound panels like the student union-how do these work?
    24. How is the elab an "educational model" as mentioned in the film?
    25. The director describes his mission-what does this mean to you?
    26. Renzo had a toddler (small child) at home during this project-how did what he said resonate with this?
    27. Piano describes ecology as a “moral duty”. Why?
    28. On the south lanai of the elab, there are special solar PV panels. Where else have you seen these and why are they important?
    29. How is this project empowering and to whom?
    30. Winston Churchill (wise dude) said "we shape our buildings, then they shape us". What did he mean by this?

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