Permaculture is about Systems Design
Linking everything together is the key to good permaculture design.
On Nov 17th and Nov 18th we are running some permaculture design experience sessions. For as little as $40 you will be given practical experience in permaculture. We will design for a real-life client. The classes are run at our mature permaculture site.
Immerse yourself in Permaculture Design for a couple of hours or 4 sessions over a full weekend.
In our first Design Blitz we designed an outdoor teaching kitchen for Chef Florence who wanted a design for teaching in Bali.
For that session we started developing Key Elements Analysis tools. Essentially we looked at the key components were needed the teaching kitchen in a hot and humid outdoor environment. We also explored different types of cooking fuel and cook-tops. We came up with 7 major blocks and 3 different configurations for her to use. She was really pleased with the designs we created. It was an intense session ony 2 hours long, but the result was impressive. Flo was very happy with her design. She wrote: “Thank you, You are amazing”
In our second Design class we designed a beautiful and functional balcony for Eco-Hair Stylist Lloyd. We developed the analysis tool further by applying it to a different set of circumstances and wishes. We also had over a 100 different components to choose from. the result was quirky and fun. In the end, each team came up with different designs but all aesthetically pleasing and all functional. Light is a challenge on this balcony, so no component were permitted to out-shade another. The major windbreak component doubled up as a bench seat or hammock or dining area, supporting vines. Some designs incorporated mirrors to amplify the light, others used a pond. One design had a large fish tank between the interior room and balcony so you can view the fish from either side. The fish tank is a natraponics system (an idea for natural-aquaponics which is in development by April, our teacher).
Full Design Experience
In this, our third design, we shall cover more territory because our client Jenny, is travelling from Bathurst. She has built an amazing Eco-home with geo-thermal heating, a great view (not always an easy design feature) and the surrounding area is flat and ready for our design ideas. We have a clean slate to design upon. We will need to cover some special techniques for her site such as water management for drylands.
April Sampson-Kelly is writing a textbook for Permaculture Demonstrators Skill Set TAFE Course. Her work in these sessions is to develop the tools for the Permaculture Community.
Saturday 17th Nov
[9.30am- 12noon] Session 1 – Permaculture Design Methodology including our new process tool. Designer and Client relationships and interview processes.
[1.30pm-4pm] Session 2 – Permaculture Principles, strategies and techniques. Both David Holmgrens and Bill Mollison’s ideas will be as applied to this design.
Sunday 18th Nov
We set about in the final stages of our design. The 3rd and 4th sessions of the Full Design Process will analyse the suggested elements, link them in a efficient design, set them into Zones and then we draw it up.
[9.30am- 12noon] Session 3 – Selecting key elements and then analysing them then connecting them to make efficient relationships. Using a large set of pre-made and blank cards developed exclusively by us. Set these elements into zones.
[1.30pm-4pm] Session 4 – Different methods of presenting ideas, drawing up the final designs, developing your presentation skills, team-work and collaboration.
This design experience will be inspiring. We would love you join in this design experience.
You can join in on only one session or all 4 sessions over the weekend. Each session costs $40 Book Here
