James Howard Kunstler takes an insightful and often hilarious look at the stupidity of contemporary big-box urban ‘design’, and looks at where we need to head instead. Don’t miss it!
Further Reading:
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Brilliant – although his name is actually spelt Kunstler. You just made a naughty word… =)
Comment by Steve — May 27, 2010 @ 10:00 am
If you’re not aware of it, there is a classic architecture reference called A Pattern Language, Christopher Alexander being the primary author. It addresses some of the criticisms Kunstler levels at modern built environments and much more.
It’s a great compliment to permaculture, and so far in my reading of it, the authors often expose similar principles. For example, staircases and corridors between buildings should be made external and visible to the street in order to integrate the life of people in the buildings with those outside – integrate rather than segregate.
There are 253 such patterns, with usage guidelines, rationale and connections to other patterns. It’s a fascinating read, learning what effect the built environment has on our lives and mood.
Comment by Tim Auld — May 27, 2010 @ 2:26 pm
Yes, integrate rather than segregate! This is what Permaculture is all about, this is what life is all about!!!
Comment by Øyvind Holmstad — May 27, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
Yeah I agree, the suburbs are so depressing especially the new ones, (the housing estates) my god, I’d rather live in a bin.
I liked the suburb that Bill Mollison visits in the permaculture series he does (the one in California). All the streets are lined with ponds, fruit trees, no fences and closely built houses. The houses have green roofs and passive solar design.
Comment by Moe — May 27, 2010 @ 6:47 pm
The city Mollison visits Moe is called Davis and the permaculture sytle subdivision is called village homes.
Comment by john K — May 27, 2010 @ 11:54 pm
I also immediately thought of the book “A Pattern Language”. A very interesting book that starts with community design and gradually gets down into more and more detail about how homes should be designed. Life would be so much more interesting and fun if cities, towns neighborhoods, businesses and homes were designed according to those principles.
Comment by Neil — June 3, 2010 @ 2:40 pm
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