Second Life: Green Design as Civic Engagement - today at 10 AM PST

Many of you have probably not heard of Second Life. Many of you are probably saying to yourself: "I hardly have time for my first life let alone a second life." Second Life is a combination of a simulation game and social network. Second Life is played by creating an avatar which a virtual representation of yourself. You navigate that avatar through a virtual world and interact with other virtual characters, objects, and places.

Speaking of places, Second Life has a place called Autodesk Island. In the virtual world of Second Life, you can teleport your avatar to the island.

You'll want to come to Autodesk Island today at 10:00 AM PST to experience Sergio Palleroni in conversation with Phil Bernstein. Sergio Palleroni is cofounder of the University of Washington's Building Sustainable Communities Initiative—known as BASIC. Phil Bernstein is Vice President of AEC solutions for Autodesk.

Title: Green Design as Civic Engagement
Summary: One of the challenges of green design is the need for widespread adoption if it is to make a significant impact on the future health of our planet. In this process of adoption designers play a central role, not just through their designs but by redefining their role to clients, society, and the built environment. For over 20 years the BASIC Initiative has worked to educate students of architecture to engage this challenge and consider it as an opportunity to re-imagine and empower design as a force for change. Sergio’s presentation will explore this challenge to redefine the role of architecture as an agent for change through three projects of the BASIC Initiative. In this work the responsibility of architects to create spaces of aesthetic value is challenged by environmental, economic concerns as students and faculty tackle issues of poverty and environmental degradation faced by the globes poorest citizens. In the work presented collaboration among designers and with the client and community, and at times other disciplines, creates solutions and new possibilities for design which help advance the idea that design has the potential to reformulate the conditions and paradigms of our societies.

Check it out in Second Life. Sharing information via virtual worlds is alive in the lab.