[W]e need a much more sophisticated discussion about growth that distinguishes between qualitative and quantitative growth.
There are some things we need to grow—such as ecosystems, human health, community cohesion, political unity, the vitality of the commons—and some things we need to shrink, such as hyper-consumption, luxury lifestyles and unconstrained aviation.
As Edward Abbey observed, “growth for growth’s sake is the ideology of the cancer cell.”*
*The Architects Declare steering group.
‘The carnival of conspicuous consumption is grounded on a false assumption – that continuous economic growth on a finite planet is possible.’
Christopher Cosper, Endless “Sustainable” Growth is an Oxymoron, 05 Feb 2021 in ArchDaily. Accessed 4 Nov 2025. Full story HERE
Cosper has identified what he calls the “Triple Bottom Lie,” which posits that more people, plus more consumption by each person, plus an economic system completely dependent on the aforementioned items, can just keep working forever, without consequences.
Historically, the United States [read Australia] has accepted the economic shibboleth of endless growth because it reduced class conflict; a rising tide (supposedly) lifted all boats, rafts and yachts included.
But the hegemony of the Triple Bottom Lie and its mantra of “more, more, more”—more of our time, devoted to creating more stuff, so that we can achieve more. But more what, exactly?
Efforts to create sustainable architecture and urbanism have been undercut by the Triple Bottom Lie. Building new “high performing” LEED-rated buildings still means additional energy consumption, and even if every new project were regenerative in nature, we have to ask if we even need them.
While architects discuss the efficacy of LED light bulbs or the best insulation system for our buildings, the giant economic machine that undergirds our industry continues to devour our collective home, Earth.
f, perhaps, Nixon-era predictions about the future are not entirely convincing, the charts in Tony Juniper’s 2018 book, How We’re F***ing Up Our Planet (which has, perhaps, the most cleareyed title of all time), reinforces the essential premise. Review HERE
In every case, stressors are rapidly increasing while resources are diminishing. Ironically, New Frontier nostalgia is counterproductive, as architects and other designers have excelled when faced with limitations.
Jonny Campbell, a documentary filmmaker who was trained as an architect, made the following observation: This brings to mind something that an architecture tutor said to us in the first days of architecture school, which was “constraint is the catalyst of creativity.”
As the design professions increasingly question how they operate in a world of finite resources, I think it is important to carry forward a sense that constraint and scarcity, when coupled with the right approach to design, can result in projects of great value and richness.
Christopher Cosper, https://www.archdaily.com/956080/endless-sustainable-growth-is-an-oxymoron
