Renowned architect Carol Marra has launched a new toolkit created to help architects meet the urgent demands of climate adaptation and design buildings equipped to withstand environmental challenges.

Internationally renowned architect and Marra+Yeh Architects director Carol Marra, has launched a toolkit to equip architects with the necessary strategies to design climate-resilient buildings and spaces. With more than two decades of experience in sustainable design, Marra has distilled her expertise into this resource, titled Design for Climate, Design for Change.

“I created this toolkit to fill what I saw as a gap in the resources currently available to architects,” Marra explains. “This guide offers practical, actionable steps to help architects strengthen their designs against extreme weather conditions like heatwaves, storms, floods, and bushfires.”

Practical strategies and design insights

Design for Climate, Design for Change is a comprehensive resource that combines historical research with contemporary case studies and expert insights on climate-resilient architecture. Replete with diagrams, architectural drawings and photography, the toolkit guides architects through the process of enhancing comfort, privacy and liveability across diverse environments, especially for residential projects.

Highlighting how nature itself adapts to environmental challenges, the toolkit encourages architects to design in harmony with natural systems. By observing how ecosystems respond to changing conditions, Marra believes architects can create buildings that not only withstand but coexist with their surroundings.

A philosophy inspired by First Nations knowledge

As an award-winning design practice known for sustainable, climate-resilient architecture, Marra’s work is rooted in respect for Country and aims to create social and environmental impacts that honour nature and humanity, embodying their deep commitment to ethical and responsible design.

Marra’s approach draws inspiration from the traditional knowledge of First Nations Australians, who have managed the land with a deep respect and understanding for millennia. “As architects, we can respond thoughtfully to environmental changes, adopting designs that reflect resilience and adaptability,” Marra says. “This toolkit is an invitation to architects to embrace these opportunities, designing buildings that protect and even enhance their surroundings.”

Design for Climate, Design for Change is accessible free online, offering architects around the world an invaluable resource for climate-adaptive design.

Images by Brett Boardman

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