A Social Ecological Ethic for Architecture

The emergence of information about the impact of human activity and development on planetary life-support systems shows that human and “natural” systems are not separate, but part of a social ecological system with humanity having a significant impact in the Anthropocene. In the architectural design process, a new ethic that includes not just the architectural client, but also social ecological systems as stakeholders is required to guide the profession in the future. This ethic demands that the design team expand its consideration of stakeholders and community and is informed by a social ecological system philosophy.