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Location: Paris, France

2.16.2012

Permaculture Notes, Low Impact Building Designs & Ideas

Let us start with a short definition of permaculture : Adopting a life style that goes (by all means) with the nature, not against the nature. It is a sustainable self-sufficient system that is nurtured within itself and that omits any element which might cause degradation or destruction of its own natural cycle.

Total quality management (TQM) applications in life show quite an analogy to permaculture. The more our outputs (ideas, actions and creations) are positive the better the conditions (tangible and/or intangible) that surround us become. Try it, you will see the difference. It is an altruistic approach and I do wish that we can extend the scale of it; at home, at work, at school, at politics!

It might not be easy for many of us to imagine living in permaculture houses especially if you're living in a populated city. Permaculture houses inevitably enable their habitants create a solid bond with the nature. They are quite self-sufficient and environmentally friendly structures.

Each of these structures carries ingenious patterns of the nature; like snail shells, superposed cactus leaves, fly eyes and etc. They are cozy, welcoming, unique and quite personalized. From an artistic point of view, these structures have numerous common points between the works of art of some artists like Gaudi and Hundertwasser. Well, 'great minds think alike'!

The question is; how ready are we to live simpler than we're used to? Think about it!

If you're curious about what can be done with used tyres, bottles, pop cans, loofah, a little bit of imagination and intelligence here are some examples and ideas, enjoy:









source : http://naturalhomes.org/


source : http://recycluzz.com/2012/01/08/earthship-biotecture/earth_ship3/


source : http://housealive.org/

Below is a slightly different example of sustainable housing alternatives for the poor made of loofah (vegetable sponge) and recycled plastic.


source: http://www.rolexawards.com/en/the-laureates/elsazaldivar-home.jsp

For the ones who are interested in the topic; here are some names for useful reading: Franklin Hiram King, Bill Mollison, David Holmgren and Michael Reynolds.