Particulars of the Paradigm — Panarchic Codex®

Panarchistic Architecture :: Chapter #9

Citation: Sterry, M. L., (2018) Panarchistic Architecture: Building Wildland-Urban Interface Resilience to Wildfire through Design Thinking, Practice and Building Codes Modelled on Ecological Systems Theory. PhD Thesis, Advanced Virtual and Technological Architecture Research [AVATAR] group, University of Greenwich, London.

9.4 Particulars of the Paradigm

“Like the legend of the Phoenix All ends with beginnings” Bangalter, Homem-Christo, Rodgers & Williams, 2012.

The findings of this thesis make evident that a wildland urban interface future in which architecture and infrastructure work in ways synchronous to the fire regimes in which they reside would require a paradigmatic shift in design thinking, practice, and building codes. Having systemically interrogated the proposition thereof, the particulars of the proposed paradigm were developed, as summarised below, with references to the thesis sections to which the statements relate provided in brackets.

Pyrophytes as Prototypes

Persisting with wildfires since the primordial past, pyrophytes serve as prototypes [Fig. 88] for living with ‘biophysical perturbations’ of the exothermic oxidation reaction kind [4.1.1; 4.1.3; 4.1.4]. Though inherently heterogeneous phenomena [4.1.5] that exhibit the behaviour of complex non-equilibrium systems comprised both fast and slow variables [4.1.4], wildfires nonetheless exhibit relative predictability in the probability of their ignition, and the possible scope and scale of the impacts as may manifest therefrom [4.1.1; 4.1.2; 4.1.5; 4.2.5]. Historical patterns of wildfire frequency, intensity, and severity are described as regimes, of which there three principle variants in the case study region: low-severity, mixed-severity, and high- severity [4.2.1; 4.2.4]. While, within the study region, these regimes become manifest in various biome-types, Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrubs, and Temperate Coniferous Forests, were the foci [4.2.3]. The pyrophytes that populate these fire-prone biomes exhibit an array of biochemical, physiological, phenological, and behavioural functional traits that enable them to persist with wildfire [4.2.6]. The selection thereof varies depending on the regime-type to which a pyrophyte has adapted, wherein particular traits are associated with particular regime-types [Ibid]. Within this study, the mode of classification thereof as selected ascribes these wildfire persistence strategies to one of three modes, they being ‘Enduring’, which involves regeneration through perennating parts and seedling recruitment, which enables persistence through low-to-mixed severity fires that return with frequency, but with relatively low intensity; ‘Evading’, which though not preventing against a parent plant succumbing to fire, propagates the legacy thereof through rapid repopulation by seedings that harness the newly redistributed nutrients and space created by mixed-to- high severity fires that return with relatively low frequency; and ‘Resisting’, wherein pyrophytes persist through low-to-mixed severity fires with relatively high return rates through use of defences including thick bark and biochemical mechanisms [Ibid]. Persistence traits found in pyrophytes include pyriscence [fire-stimulated seed release], pyrogermination [fire-stimulated germination], abscission [shedding of peripheral parts], retardant rhytidome [thick/plated bark], and resprouting [recolonization through cloning] [4.2.7]. Additionally, pyrophytes populate places where their persistence and wider functional traits are to their physiological advantage, thus show clustering in the micro-climates, elevations and wider topographies where they typically found [4.2.8]. Forming synecological units with the fire-regimes they populate [4.1.4], pyrophyte lifecycles ascribe to Holling and Gunderson’s concept of survival through the cyclic process of Panarchy, more specifically in its ‘Nature Evolving’ variant, and as modelled in ‘The Adaptive Cycle’ [2.5; 4.2.1].Within this construct a wildfire constitutes the ‘release’ phase in a four- phase process, which redistributing of nutrients, space, and light catalyses ‘re- organisation’ [i.e. pyriscence and pyrogermation], thereon ‘growth’ [i.e. saplings], followed by ‘conservation’ [i.e. adult stands], the latter marking the final phase of the cyclic model [Ibid]. Within this thesis, the workings of pyrophytes at the level of fire regimes has been illustrated in a series of case studies that collate the findings of several studies of this past three decades, they being the Yellowstone Fire Complex of 1998 [4.4.1], the Southern Californian Fire Complex of 2003 [4.4.2], and the Southern Californian Fire Complex of 2007 [4.4.3]. Collectively, these studies make evident the qualitatively distinct nature of the low-to-mixed and mixed-to-high severity fire regime variants, together with the fire frequencies, intensities, and behaviours as historically manifest therein, and the relations of the indigenous pyrophytes thereto.

Knowledge Transfer

Migration of the functional traits of pyrophytic species to architectural and infrastructural speculations as might populate a wildfire-persistent wildland urban interface future involved exploration of how these traits may be expressed both conceptually and technically utilising current, emerging, and anticipated near-future STEM innovations and inventions [6.4.7 – 8.4.3]. An ‘architectural genera’ [6.4.8] comprised three distinct ‘species’, the schema, as both detailed in the discussion, and presented in the Panarchic Codex [8.0 – 8.4.3], provides not of templates, but of material and information systems propositions as could enable pyrophytic behaviours [7.1.4]. The Panarchitectural genera is comprised as follows:

Pyro-Endurers

Evolved to persist in WUI adjoining low and mixed-severity fire regimes [4.2.4], pyro-enduring architectures comprise traits, which like the pyrophytes upon which they are modelled, are selected to endure frequent, but relatively low-intensity, and typically low-to-mixed severity fires. Featuring below-ground data and storage networks [their perennating parts], which are protected by a layer of soil of thickness relative to its minerality, therein fire-insulting properties, pyro-endurers are connected to real to near-to-real-time information systems through which wildfire and other environmental data can be exchanged. Upon the passing of wildfire, the subterranean networks facilitate the regenerative process of architectural renewal. Whereupon a wildfire exceeds the local historical regime severity precedent and the event thereof compromises the subsurface network’s integrity, as do the ‘superspecies’ variant of the species’ pyrophytic equivalent, pro-endurers persist through ‘seedling recruitment’, which translates to relying on data backed-up [i.e. architectural plans, land-ownership, insurance policies, and personal paraphernalia] via remote servers connected to the network. In combination with the above detailed trait, pyro-endurers perform forms of architectural pyriscence and pyrogermination, which both activated by detection of heat and/or chemical signals, involves the post-fire distribution of data-encoded ‘seeds’, which released via a propulsion process that, like that of serotinous seeds, is enabled through the melting of resins, which pre-fire, held a protective pod’s exterior parts together, thereon propagate the process of architectural renewal. An alternative thereto is pods of which heat-responsive casing cracks upon fire’s passing, thus releasing their contents. By means of limiting the spread of surface fires, pyro-endurers also perform ‘architectural abscission’, wherein, ahead of the fire season, buildings shed any flammable exterior parts [i.e. wooden balconies] [6.4.8; 7.1.4]. Within Holling and Gunderson’s Adaptive Cycle, pyro-endurers transition [i.e. modify their features to accommodate changes to the fire regime in a form of architectural evolution] from the K to W phase whereupon the historical fire regime shifts from low-to-mixed to mixed-to-high severity [Ibid; 2.5]. In future WUI wildfire practice, the pyro-enduring architectural schema is posited to exhibit the fire- persisting potential of a pyrophytic ‘enduring’ species such as the California Black oak [7.2.2; 7.3.2] as codified in the Panarchic Codex [8.4.2].

Pyro-Evaders

Evolved to persist in WUI adjoining mixed and high-severity fire regimes [4.2.4], pyro-evading architectures comprise traits selected to evade relatively infrequent, but high intensity, typically mixed-to-high severity fires, to which the ‘parent architectures’ usually succumb. Thus, their persisting strategy is that of data ‘seed banking’, wherein ahead of the advent of wildfire, ‘data seeds’ protected by the mechanisms as described above, some of which may be stored subsurface by means of further fire-protection, are produced to remain dormant until activation. Whereupon a wildfire occurs, the materiality of parent architectures redistribute into their surroundings, thus becoming nutrients that propagate the process of environmental and architectural renewal. Therein, these intentionally temporary structures are built with biochemically appropriate materials that pose no threat to both local and regional soil and hydrology systems, and all such species as reside therein. However, though pyro-evaders populate areas where mixed-to-high severity fires typically incinerate flora and houses alike, the mosaic nature of these landscapes increases the probability of heterogeneity in a wildfire’s spread. Hence, ‘mosaical WUI planning’ is proposed to provide of ‘pockets of refuge’, wherein landscape features, be they natural or man-made, such as synthetic topographies designed to slow wind speed and/or direction, thus mitigate against ember showers, and/or atmospheric interventions, such as reducing the heat and/or raising the humidity at specific sites, are integrated into pyro-evading developments. Unlike fire-fighting activity of this kind, these would be permanent or semi-permanent site interventions. At the locations thereof, further ‘data seed banks’ would be stored by means of providing further data back-up for homeowners, and for both public and private organisations within the locale. The cyclicality with which they renew relatively slow, pyro-evading architectures’ ‘DNA’ [i.e. architectural plans] ‘evolve’ [i.e. adapt to changes within their fire regimes] at a slower rate than their pyro-enduring and pyro- resisting WUI cousins [6.4.8; 7.1.4]. Within Holling and Gunderson’s Adaptive Cycle, pyro-evaders evolutionary transition from the K to W phase with each fire cycle [Ibid; 2.5]. In future WUI wildfire practice, the pyro-evading architectural schema is posited to exhibit the fire-persisting potential of a pyrophytic ‘evading’ species such as the Lodgepole pine [7.2.1;7.3.1] as codified in the Panarchic Codex [8.4.1].

Pyro-Resistors

Evolved to persist in WUI adjoining low and mixed-severity fire regimes [4.2.4], pyro-resisting architectures comprise traits selected to resist frequent, fast-spreading and relatively low-intensity fires. Their material chemical composition and form, and overall structure and architectural schema are discerned from both the functional traits of their ecological counterparts in their locale [resistors] and the topography, wind and atmospheric conditions, and biomass composition, and the combined impacts thereof on historical patterns of fire spread and behaviour. Their exteriors protected by the architectural equivalent of retardant rhytidome, which deflects fire through both physical and chemical actions [heat dissipation through plate-like furrowed mineral-based cladding], their principally surface-fire focused defences, are largely located between ground and first-floor level, but upwards of several meters where necessary. In addition to fire-resistant walls, windows, and doors, including both permanent and temporary fixtures [i.e. fire-resistant sliding or closing shutters], pyro-resistors seasonally ‘self-prune’ any flammable exterior parts [i.e. flammable trellises] as may act as fire-ladders in advance of the fire-season. A variant thereof is adapted for regions where canopy fires are not infrequent, and in this instance upper building parts, including roofs will be protected through further ‘pyro-armoury’ in the form of non-flammable materials in concert with structural form which prevents against burning embers and debris settling and alighting the building [i.e. steep roofs and covered eaves]. However, like their pyro-enduring and pyro-evading cousins, pyro- resistors insure against the worst-case scenario by storing data in pyriscent-like seeds of which the ‘germination’ is catalysed by wildfire through heat and chemical sensing mechanisms [6.4.8; 7.1.4]. Within Holling and Gunderson’s Adaptive Cycle, pyro- resistors evolutionary transition from the K to W phase whereupon the fire regime shifts from low-to-mixed to mixed-to-high severity fires of which the return interval is too short for regeneration, thus the architectural species would ‘evolve’ to the pyro evading or enduring mode [i.e. replace resisting traits with evading or enduring traits][Ibid; 2.5]. In future WUI wildfire practice, the pyro-resisting architectural schema is posited to exhibit the fire-persisting potential of a pyrophytic ‘resisting’ species such as the Ponderosa pine [7.2.3; 7.3.3] [Fig. 89] as codified in the Panarchic Codex [8.4.3].

Pyro-technical Synthesis

Research and realisation of the proposed wildland urban interface schema and its accompanying architectural modus would require of convergence of capabilities from several established and emerging STEM fields. Existing satellite, aerial and terrestrial wildfire and environmental monitoring systems [7.1.1] could be networked to pyro- enduring, evading, and resisting architectures such that, whether automated or otherwise, their fire defences [i.e. abscission of flammable parts and/or closing of fire- resistant window and door covers] could be activated upon detection of an approaching wildfire. ESA [Fig. 90], NASA, USGS, and Planet Labs are amongst existing organisations which, already monitoring wildfire metrics in real and near-to- real time, could extend their existing public open access platforms to enable integration into wildland urban interface architectures at the building and/or urban scale [Ibid]. Integration of wildfire modelling, of the ilk of NIST’s Wildland-Urban Interface Fir Dynamics Simulation system and LANDFIRE [4.2.2], could help refine wildfire probability metrics used in the process thereof, as could the addition of historical data sets provided by an organisation such as Descartes Labs [7.1.1]. Yet finer-grain wildfire probability forecasts could be developed from the integration of both terrestrial data from LiDAR [4.1.2] and from Remote Automatic Weather Stations [4.1.5]. Whereupon the above were connected to an artificial intelligence enhanced environmental monitoring sensing, actuating, and analysis platform, such as Living PlanIT’s ‘Urban Operating System’, site-specific wildfire forecasts could be created in real and near-to-real time [7.1.2]. However, ICT leaders, Living PlanIT and Microsoft Research included, already researching, developing, and patenting break- through biotechnologies in domains including biosensing, biocomputing, and biostorage, render it possible that the near-future could manifest a hybridized human and biological ICT/IOT system which, connected to plants including pyrophytes, bridges the boundary between ‘living’ and ‘non-living’ wildfire monitoring networks [6.4.5; 7.1.2] [Fig. 91].

Pyro-structural Synthesis

Material and structural realisation of the proposed wildland urban interface schema could draw on developments in fields including biodesign/biofabrication [utilisation of biological materials], synthetic biology [enhancement of biological materials], biomimetics [mimicry of biological materials], and smart materials [materials into which sensing and actuating capabilities akin to they of pyrophytes are integrated] [7.1.2; 7.1.3]. Existing fields of research enquiry that could be integrated into the cyclic-renewal processes of pyro-enduring, evading, and resisting architectures include environmentally-responsive, self-organising, self-repairing and otherwise self-aware and/or state-changing materials and structures [Ibid]. However, in all instances, wildfire would be both integrated into the material process [i.e. persistence- facilitating heat-activated material phase or other state-change] and lifecycle, wherein biochemically, only materials which, upon fire-damage or incineration pose no threat to regional environmental systems would be authorised for use, and selected such that in the event thereof their reintroduction to that environment catalysed biological and/or architectural regrowth and renewal, otherwise known as ‘Cradle to Landscape Cradle’ [6.4.4; 7.1.3]. In regard of the former, Panarchistic architecture extends concepts as have been previously explored at the scale of products to that of cities [6.4.4]. In regard of the latter, it extends concepts previously explored in the context of human systems [i.e. socially] [2.1.3; 5.1.3; 5.1.8; 5.1.9; 6.4.6] to non-human systems, wherein from the moment of conception, architects, planners, and others involved in the design process need consider of the implications of a building’s ‘death’ on both abiotic and biotic systems locally, regionally, and globally [4.5-4.5.5; 6.1.8; 6.3.2; 7.2 – 7.2.3].

Pyro-urban Codes

The primary conceptual and technical tenants of the Panarchistic Architectural paradigm are converged in the Panarchic Codex: California Code of Regulations 2030 [8.1 – 8.4.3], which a tri-part speculative publication posits the regulations as could be applied to low-rise residential wildland urban interface developments of the pyro- persisting enduring, evading, and resisting kind. Serving principally as a provocation, the codes have been authored such that they may be used in workshops, lectures, and other experimental and educational activities engaging both student and professional researchers and practitioners from wide-ranging disciplines, including architecture, planning, and policymaking, together with all such fields as would be involved in the further development of the paradigm, such as information communications technologies, materials science, and fire ecology. The Codex integrates a series of hypothetical material, ICT, architecture, policy, and governance concepts which have been designed to convey the how the Panarchistic architectural schema may work in practice [8.1]. Presented in such fashion as suggests they have already been researched, developed, and widely distributed, the technique thereof is a foresight strategy which is useful when helping civic and corporate leadership teams to brainstorm how and why future scenarios may impact upon their activities.

Numbering seventeen in all, the concepts are as follows:

Material, Information, Architecture Concepts: ArchiDNA, ArchiDNA-cloning, MaterialDNA, Pyri-CONE, Retardant Bio-Bark, Structural-Abscission System, Subsurface Shelter-in-Place, Surface-level DNAta-Storage System, Synthetic Pyriscence-Dispersed-Seeds, Synthetic Subsurface Bio-Root System, and Synthetic Serotinous Substance [8.1].

Infrastructure Concepts: Office of Wildland Urban Interface Living, Office of Ethics and Environmental Governance, Office of Experimental Design Endeavours, and Regional Landscape Ecology Office, which civic organisations, would be integral to the research, development, and governance of Panarchistic architectures. Together with a further hypothetical organisational group, which comprised both civic and private sector groups, and possibly hybrids thereof, would provide of ‘banks’ for ‘synthetic DNA-seeds’ [i.e. servers, be they configured as they of present, or in a yet- to-be-developed biostorage facility type] [8.1].

Ethical: The Panarchic Oath, which based on the Hippocratic Oath is a conceptual proposition to endow architects, planners, and others that work in and with the wildland urban interface with the responsibility to gain understanding of wildfire and its role in maintaining the integrity and workings of ecological systems, and to share that knowledge with their peers and community at large, while also ensuring their works place no undue burden on emergency services, and others as are engaged in wildfire response. While the technical and material concepts this thesis puts forth would require of extensive research and development to deploy, the oath is a construct as could be utilised with immediacy by means of addressing a critical environmental issue [8.4.3].