Without a common language, it is hard to know what works, and even harder to make progress. In response to this challenge, MVRDV developed CarbonSpace as a practical and transparent tool for designers. Rather than focusing on detailed carbon calculations late in the design process, the tool is built to work from the “napkin sketch” stage, using rough input data or even simple rules of thumb to give immediate feedback on the carbon consequences of design choices.

As such, it is not a validation tool, but a decision-support tool: “CarbonSpace won’t solve the climate crisis on its own. But it will help architects design with carbon from day one and make informed decisions”, explains Sanne van der Burgh, head of MVRDV NEXT. “We want to give designers the confidence to act without waiting for perfect data. More importantly, we want to create a shared language for carbon, so we can collaborate, learn from each other, and make better decisions as an industry.”