I’ve been thinking about other places where we’ve drawn the line too close to ourselves and pursued a self-interest that may eventually come back to bite us. How and where we live and build our homes has an ultimate impact everywhere — socially, economically, and environmentally. The choices that we make, from buying a brand of cereal to building a home, matter in ways that we may not comprehend in the moment. Whether or not we know it, we exercise a lot of power as individuals and as a society. [Read more…]
A new understanding of abundance
There is one question that can truly make a difference in our lives and communities: How much do I really, truly need? To be happy, to be safe, to be comfortable? [Read more…]
Householding: another kind of cohousing
I’d like to present you with a novel twist on the cohousing theme: the intentional shared household. Also known as “householding”, it can be thought of as cohousing in miniature. Unlike the typical roommate arrangement, this type of shared household allows the participants to have an equity stake in a home, but for a much smaller investment than usual. [Read more…]
Coach Houses: Coming Soon to a Backyard Near You
Lately we’ve expanded our design portfolio with some new ideas for coach houses (also known as laneway houses or garden suites). We applaud the recent decision by the Comox town council, who recognize that the time is right for this very accessible and versatile housing option. [Read more…]
The Model Urban Homestead
This year our office has submitted an entry in Habitat for Humanity’s annual gingerbread house contest and fundraising raffle. Entitled “Modern Urban Homestead” our delicious little dwelling tries to present many of the ideas that would go into making our homes more sustainable. The main concept is to change the orientation of the home from being a consumer outpost in a global food/energy/manufacturing system, to being about producing, giving back, taking responsibility, and turning wastes into food and energy – just like nature does. [Read more…]
Green building forum well-received
The following is the text of a 10 minute presentation given as part of a Green Building Forum at Victoria’s annual Organic Island Sustainability Festival, held July 10 and 11th, 2010.
Good morning. In the time I have available I’d like to share with you some ideas about what I think sustainable design means and some ways we can design homes to reduce their ecological footprint, reduce their cost and make them more resilient places to live the years to come. [Read more…]
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