One day, while contemplating the issue of food justice in the EFI building, I decided to grab lunch at the café inside. However, I quickly realized that the food there seemed inconsistent with my identity as a “broke student”—both in price and taste. As I chewed on a dry sandwich, it suddenly dawned on me that EFI itself faces a food justice issue! In fact, since most students are not yet financially independent, school cafeterias should ideally provide meals priced slightly below market rates. Students deserve access to reasonably priced and traceable food. With this thought in mind, I began to closely observe this beautiful building.

As a student of the “Futures Institute,” I have always taken pride in the grand and gorgeous EFI building. To be honest, I enjoy the envious looks from other students. However, while exploring this project, I came to realize that this building, belonging to the Futures Institute, has certain aspects that contradict the very concept of “future.”

The collision between the ancient architectural style and the highly modernized teaching tools inside creates a sense of futurism. However, from the perspective of climate change and sustainability, the building indeed lacks eco-friendly or sustainable features, such as vegetation. After examining the structure, I discovered a large, unused rooftop area that is inaccessible to students, as well as plenty of idle space inside the building. Combining feasible measures to address the climate crisis, the concept of Rooftop Gardens could be applied here, with students and faculty even participating in planting fruits and vegetables themselves.

The building’s exterior uses extensive glass, which I fear may make it unbearably hot during the summer, resembling a greenhouse. Using air conditioning would contradict efforts to combat climate change. Therefore, I believe the concept of Vertical Greening could be applied to the exterior. This would not only effectively cool the building and collect precipitation but also enhance its aesthetics, optimize land use, and most importantly, address the food justice issue we are exploring. Growing uncontaminated, traceable vegetables on campus reduces dependency on external supply chains and provides healthier food options.

This process has helped me realize that interdisciplinarity is not just about merging different disciplines—it is about generating a synergy where the result is greater than the sum of its parts. It is a beautiful process of resolving conflicts into better solutions.

2024.11.28

Reflection on Interdisciplinary Process and Thoughts on the EFI Building / Yunyi Yang / Future Infrastructure, Climate Change and Sustainability: KIPP & Futures Project (2024-25) by is licensed under a