Are Architects Failing Nature? Reclaiming Buildings as Living Systems – Ep 96 with Philip Donovan
In this episode of Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with Philip Donovan of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. for an inspiring deep dive into designing buildings that uplift all systems of life. Philip shares how growing up in Florida’s wild landscapes—and seeing the world from a thousand feet in an open cockpit—sparked his passion for connecting architecture to nature. He explains how Little’s Regen CoLab moves beyond sustainability to regeneration, weaving local ecology, human well-being, and resilience into every project. From poplar logs reclaimed from Charlotte roadwork to a living building that harvests water and grows community, Philip shows how design can be both deeply local and globally impactful. If you’ve ever wondered how architecture can help us fall in love with life again, this episode is for you.
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More About Philip Donovan
Philip Donovan is an architect, partner, and national director for sustainability and regeneration at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting. With over 25 years of experience, he specializes in designing high-performance, zero-carbon environments that deliver resilient, regenerative outcomes for the larger communities of life they are a part of. Philip has served as project architect on five net-zero energy schools, including Discovery Elementary School, the first LEED Zero school in the U.S., NeoCity Academy, Florida’s first zero-energy school; and the 4Roots Carbon Neutral Mass Timber Education Building.
He has also been a project leader for two AIA COTE Top Ten award-winning projects: Discovery Elementary and Alice West Fleet Elementary. A passionate advocate for sustainability and resiliency, Philip is a member of the Florida State AIA Advisory Council on Resilient Design, the Green Energy Taskforce for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and the Orange County Sustainability and Resiliency Committee. He has contributed as a technical peer reviewer for the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 Schools: Achieving Zero Energy and as a reviewer for the USGBC’s Center for Green Schools.
Philip has served on the Mount Dora Historic Planning Commission and currently sits on the advisory board for the College of Community Innovation & Education at the University of Central Florida. An accomplished speaker, he has presented at national and international conferences including Greenbuild, on zero-resource buildings, resiliency, and climate adaptation.
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