Architects became hypnotised with digital images, often ignoring tectonic and structural concepts, taking no notice of architectural principles, proportions, deprecating local materials (imperative to avoid transport pollution) and disregarding passive energy (an issue solved in the mid sixties). Absurd discussions organised in the Internet and for the Internet produce the illusion of a green attitude: the use of greenish pixels in clean digital renderings gives the impression of ecological preoccupation. It is not enough to have a scientific knowledge of materials and production processes, what is needed first is a wider conceptualisation and understanding of our habitat in order to find a general path, wide enough to draw living spaces, energy, infrastructure and mobility into the same direction, and only then to use full resources and software to develop architecture. The main task is not whether we can become more efficient only, but to alert our community and governments that, following all available scientific literature, what I call Habitat Change, which includes Climate Change, is leading our civilisation towards extinction. Unfortunately, the question is not 'if' but 'when'. Individual solutions presented as innovative appeal the consumer's imagination and libido but end up useless, even pernicious. In the last thirty years many architects have been playing with inconsistent ideas, which is unacceptable if the intention is to transform images into real material spaces. The fascination with sparkling virtual representation reached a point where built forms try to impersonate digital images. When built, they are even awarded by critics that rarely visited the real thing. With a few exceptions, those buildings were built on fossil fuel energy and processed materials. This is like receiving a price for best performance as leading actor when the theatre is burning in flames. For centuries, hand-made drawings showed intentions and the spirit of an idea (not a final object), hence built architecture was richer: architects modified, improved and finished the work through builders' craftsmanship. Architecture and cities were part of Nature, because they referred to the Universe with respect: in a way, they were submissive. (page 2 of 5)

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