THE SHARPE GROUP
The Sharpe Design Group is an interdisciplinary design collective of three siblings. We have dedicated our careers to sustainable human progress in both theory and action.Like many people, the Sharpe family is concerned about the impacts of climate change on our global ecosystem. Our family history and shared experiences instilled in us a passion to advance public welfare while limiting our impact on nature.
Sharpe Family History
The Sharpe family moved from England to New Zealand over 100 years ago and started their business as "hygenic brewers", or soft drink manufacturers. They deliberately chose to start this business because they saw a need in their society for non-alcoholic drinks. Thus began the family tradition of blending business with a focus on serving the community. Sharpe Bros. was quite a successful venture and they were the largest distributors in New Zealand & Australia for most of the early 20th century.
Historic Photograph of a Sharpe Bros. Warehouse
Our father, Peter J.H. Sharpe, did not pursue the family business, but instead began studying an issue that seemed more important and relevant to him: desertification. He began to notice that the natural systems around him were failing. Plants, trees, and even entire forests were being lost in astonishing numbers. He threw himself into his studies, earning a Ph.D. in Biomechanical Engineering and delving into the problems facing Australia.
Peter Sharpe in a humorous pose of an Aussie living in Texas
Peter was able to demonstrate that desertification was the end result of small changes in the ecosystem caused by human activity, and is irreversible in many cases. Human activity was permanently scarring Australia. As it turned out, his theories had broad applicability. The same process was happening all over the world. The only way to prevent desertification is to support the ecosystem and reduce unnatural stressors.
Our father left behind a large body of work and helped train new researchers for the field. His colleagues eulogized his efforts in 1991:
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, Vol. 72, No. 3 (Sep.,1991), p. 182
in memoriam
PETER J. H. SHARPE 1940-1991
Peter Sharpe was an energetic research scientist, internationally recognized for his contributions to plant ecophysiology, integrated pest management, and ecological modeling. His modeling studies ranged from plant biochemistry to the global problem of desertification. He continually stressed the need to understand the mechanisms by which ecological effects are produced. He published 182 papers on a wide variety of subjects from poikilotherm growth to landscape processes at the biome scale. He was a very open individual and original thinker whose willingness to share insights and brainstorm ideas was known to all who came in contact with him. Peter was born in Sydney, Australia and maintained collaboration on the dynamics of woodlands with Australian colleagues throughout his research career. He was the leader of the Biosystems Research Group in the Industrial Engineering Department at Texas A&M for 18 productive years. Peter Sharpe passed away on 24 January 1991. He will be missed by many who knew him not only as a plant ecologist and modeler, but also as a stimulating companion and a good friend. Hsin-i Wu and Edward J. Rykiel, Jr., Biosystems Research Group, Industrial Engineering Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843
The theories that guided Dr. Peter Sharpe's work exposed us to a new kind of thinking about ecosystems. This theoretical framework of bio-mechanical processes helped us understand that an ecosystem works at many different scales. From the smallest level of microbes in the soil to the powerful forces of nature that can flood an entire city, an appreciation of the environment is necessary to develop a sustainable solution.
Our mother, Victoria, taught us to appreciate nature from a practical side. She ran the small family farm in Texas where we grew up, tending an organic garden and managing livestock, always making sure the land was a laboratory for us as well as a playground. Together, our parents transformed an old cotton farm, which was barren to conventional agriculture, into a hearty Texas shrubland by planting native restorative plants based on my father's work. Some of their experiments taught us to reach even further, such as our tomato plants grown in "moon soil" used in a project for NASA.
A Sharpe family picnic during a research trip in New South Wales, Australia
Our parent's work inspired us to continue the work of learning about ecosystems and sharing discoveries with the world. While we have all followed different paths into the professional world, we believe that an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving can be more effective by including different viewpoints. We began Sharpe Design Group as a way for us to contribute our talent and experience to the goal of a sustainable human world.
As a group, we advocate progressive global policies to limit climate change. We believe that people can enjoy a fulfilling sense of community, respect the rights of the natural world, and ensure a high quality of life for everyone.
NICHOLAS SHARPE
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He is currently directing a program in rural Guatemala, in collaboration with the local entity Asociacion para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Mancomunidad de Huista (ADSOSMHU), aimed at promoting food security for indigenous mountain communities through educating groups of women in organic agriculture, small livestock rearing (rabbits, pigs, chickens), basic sanitation, daily nutritional needs and self employment workshops.
Nicholas also owns a sustainably managed farm in the Extremadura region of Spain. His agricultural theories are tested on his own trees and livestock. Keeping a close association with the land helps him understand the challenges of farmers seeking to transition to sustainable practices.
Nicholas earned a degree in land management (ecological agriculture) from the University of Sydney and was co-author of the "Central Tablelands Toolkit - Manual for Sustainable Agriculture in Central New South Wales."
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GRAEME SHARPE, MLSE, LEED AP
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Graeme stays active in his local community by volunteering time to consult on projects that need advice on sustainable design. He actively supports historic preservation and is currently renovating an early 20th century ice factory as a residence. He is the author of the website A Place of Sense, which explores the intersection of engineering and sustainable urban design.
Graeme earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and M.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
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KIMBERLY SHARPE, LEED AP
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Kimberly is a LEED accredited architectural designer. She is proficient in all stages of design, from space planning, programming, design development and construction administration. Previous projects have included Barclays Capital, L'Oreal USA, and Societe Generale.
She earned a B.S. in Interior Design from the School of Architecture at University of Texas at Austin. She also helped create the University of Texas design for the 2006 Solar Decathlon Competition.
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