Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta sustainable. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta sustainable. Mostrar todas las entradas

11 nov 2016

bits of wisdom: regenerative development and effectiveness






Renowned sustainable architect and designer, Bill Reed, gives a presentation entitled
 "From Sustainability through Regeneration: 
Whole and Living System Design"
 at the Pittsburgh Green Building Alliance's Green, Healthy Schools conference 
on November 4, 2010



"Building on the visionary work of John T. Lyle and many others, Bill Reed and the team at Regenesis have developed a coherent design framework for regenerative development. It describes the progressive integration of deeper levels of learning from nature, to the imitation, restoration and tending of nature. There is a step-change in our effectiveness as we shift our perception towards participation, and we become fully conscious again of the fact that we are nature and as such, capable of design as nature. I believe that this re-conciliatory step of acknowledging our participatory agency in the complexity of nature is absolutely crucial if we hope to create a regenerative human presence on planet Earth." 
Daniel Christian Wahl










"If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask. For once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes."
 Albert Einstein










"To make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offence or the disadvantage of anyone."

R. Buckminster Fuller





"To simply design for sustainability is no longer enough; we need to design for regeneration. Collectively, as a species, we already have done too much damage to simply aim for sustainability — what William McDonough calls "100 percent less bad." We have to undo the damage done over centuries — in some cases over millennia. We have to regenerate healthy ecosystems functions everywhere. To be able to do this well, we have to become good at designing as nature."




+++ Info>>>















16 nov 2015

school @ Abetenim, Ghana




At Abetenim, Nka Foundation is building an arts village to provide stable places for arts and design practitioners from the region and other countries to live, work, learn and create. We are building the arts village by exploring what resources the community already has, such as red earth and vernacular methods of construction and by mobilizing these rural assets to design and build modern mud houses.
With the help of international partners, volunteers and donations from the international public, the Foundation has helped the Abetenim community to build a junior secondary school and kindergarden units. The population of Abetenim and the surounding villages is in the increase. Seeing that a senior secondary school is now needed, the community has marked a10-acre site, if Nka could raise the funds for the construction of the first buildings to get the senior secondary school open to its first class of the envisaged 600 student poulation. Though the construction will be by community labor, the fund is needed for materials and other site-based expenses. The community really needs the help. Will you join us in giving these rural students the best opportunities available? 



Site Plan of the School by Nilesh Patel, Australia


Abetenim is a village in the Ejisu-Juaben District (http://ejisujuaben.ghanadistricts.gov.gh) in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The standard of living is rather low. The village is dotted by mud houses, built in ways that tell of abject economic poverty. More than 75% of the people in Abetenim live below the poverty line as defined by the United Nations by subsisting on less than $2USD per day. So, please donate to this cause, share the campaign, and help us build this school!   

 Abetenim

Give Hope. Change Lives

Education is a foundation for rural development! Today, the population of the population of the Abetenim is about 1,000 people, with 60% of them between the ages of 1 to 25 years. About 98% of the adults in the village are unable to read or write proficiently because they did not gain elementary school education. Nka Foundation wants to assist the community to build a senior secondary school in order to cultivate new generations who will help drive the development of their community. We focus on the education of the younger generation in view that in the next 10 to 15 years, the youth of today (9- to 15-year olds) will be educated adult leaders in the community, who will in turn influence the upcoming generation. In light of this, we recruited a design team of architects, engineers and designers from www.onlinevolunteering.org to help us design the school, to be built incrementally. That means, the school will be built in phases over the next five years. Now, we are crowdfunding to raise money for the construction of the first phase involving classrooms, staff room and offices to get the school started by August 2016. 

We Can’t do it alone! And You Can Help!

We've got the land, architectural drawing, community labor, students and teachers; now we initially need $20,000 to transform our vision into reality. This is why we are here asking you to support our efforts by donating money, time or you can come to volunteer at the construction site in Ghana for 1 week or more from April 2 to December 31, 2016. Together, we will build a school that will impact the lives of those growing up in poverty, their children, and generations to come.

How YOU Can Help

By making a pledge! There’s no getting around it. It works in partnerships.  So, take a look at the rewards we offer and sow a seed by donating generously and help us to reach that goal! Every bit counts! And of course, you can increase your pledge at any time. Our goal for the school’s first phase is to raise at least €21,900.  €20,000 to cover materials and other construction expenses for the first four buildings AND the small fee charged by the funding platform and costs of getting out rewards to donors. We expect to reach our funding goal, even exceed it. Should we exceed our goal, things get even more exciting. We will move on to the second phase of the school construction. 

Charitable Matching? Yes, Everything Helps!

If your company does charitable matching, we would encourage you to submit your generous donation to help accelerate our fundraising. Your donation could do twice as much! You can email info@nkafoundation.org for the TaxID number for your paperwork.

What Your Corporate Donations Can Do

The project is offering naming opportunities for philanthrophists and corporations looking to invest in the lives of the younger generations. Be a part of this! Let’s create change where it is most needed.  Any of the naming opportunities can be dedicated in the names of individuals, families, foundations, or corporations of your choosing. They’ll make great Christmas presents! You will have to send us the name of your choice and we will engrave it and afix it permanently on the Wall of Donor in the administrative building in the school. And if you allow us, we will post another engrave plate on that name at the entrance to the unit that you donation helped build. Your pledge can be fulfilled over the course of a single year or several years, whichever you prefer. If you are a millionaire, who can give to the poor, adopt this school building project. Remember, we are a nonprofit organization. Every penny we raise goes toward funding our projects.

  • $2,000 - Classroom, 12 naming opportunities available.

  • $5,000 - Dormitory Room, 8 naming opportunities available

  • $10,000 - Science Labs, 3 naming opportunities available (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology Labs)

  • $15,000 – School Cafeteria, 1 naming opportunity available

  • $20,000 – Administrative Building, 1 naming opportunities available (offices, a large teachers room, visitors lounge and a Sick Bay.

  • $30,000 - Library, 1 naming opportunity available


Other Ways You Can Help

Here are other ways you can help us reach our target:
(1) Spread the word about the campaign to your own networks. It doesn’t take much time to send a tweet, update your Facebook status or email to a colleague about this project. Ask them to share about this campaign and encourage their friends and colleagues to back us too. Together, we can sow a seed to change the rural world.
(2) Be Our Ambassador at the Christmas Celebrations: Tell your family members, friends and colleagues that instead of giving you a Christmas present that they can make a donation to this project on your behalf.
(3) Come to Abetenim and Help us! We would like to invite mission teams, builders Without Borders, engineers without borders, Youth Without Borders, sans frontières, school teams, and others who would be interested in traveling to Ghana to participate in the construction of the school. If interested, please email us for an invitation. It is not all work! The weekends can be used for cultural excursions, sight-seeing trips to national parks for the wildlife or for attending community events such as weddings, religeous functons, funerals, and festivals. If you are an entrepreneur or an indigenous arts advocate, you can spend the rest of the period collaborating with indigenous musicians, storytellers, weavers, bronze casters, leather workers, or contemporary practitioners.
Make sure to follow us on twitter @ nkaprojects and use the #Abetenim hashtag! If you would like to make a monthly donation, volunteer, or do an internship on this school project for university credits, please send us an e-mail to info@nkafoundation.org / www.nkafoundation.org. 
Thanks in advance for your generosity, or as they say in the Ashanti Region:  
MEDA WO ASE!




REWARDS

For $1 or more

THANK YO! Card for supporting our school project + photo updates on the project

 For $25 or more

We will take a picture of whatever you would like to see of Abetenim and nearby villages i.e. the sunrise, moon as it looks, children at play, a laughing/smiling face, palm oil processing, cocoa trees, a shadow … so go ahead send us your request. We exhibit all of the pics on our Facebook and we will email you the picture you requested.
  

For $50 or more

You will receive a copy of a short film documenting the challenges and successes of this project + we'll list you as a donor in the credits line in the film + all of the rewards in any of the above contribution levels.

 

For $70 or more

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO ALBUM (min. 50 images) detailing the program and the participants + Glass Beads Necklace + all of the rewards in any of the above contribution levels.


 For $100 or more

YOU ARE AWESOME!    In addition to the above, you will receive a guest certificate of appreciation that guarantees donor a 2-day stay in Abetenim to see the project you helped fund. This offer is redeemable until November 8, 2018 + all of the rewards in any of the above contribution levels.

For $2,000

The "yourname" Dormitory!  We will reward you with the opportunity to name a school dormitory after you, or another name of your choice. We will engrave the name on a plate and put it on our Wall of Donors in the school. And we will issue you a Certificate of Appreciation that guarantees donor a 3-day stay in Abetenim to see the project you helped fund. Offer is transferable, so it will make a unique Christmas gift.

For $5,000

The "yourname" Classroom!   We will reward you with the opportunity to name one classroom after you, or another name of your choice. We will engrave the name on two plates and put one on our Wall of Donors and the other plate inside the unit that your donation helped build. 

 For $10,000

SCHOOL PROJECT BOARD MEMBER! and we will reward you with the opportunity to name one of the Science Labs, (Physics, Chemistry or Biology) after you, or another name of your choice. We will engrave the name on two plates and put one on our Wall of Donors and the other at the entrance to the unit that your donation helped build. You are welcome to join ourSchool Board of Advisors to guide, counsel and advise the school for educational growth.

For $15,000

DREAM MAKER!  We will reward you with the opportunity to name the School Cafeteria after you or your company. We will engrave the name on two plates for our Wall of Donors and forthe entrance to the Cafeteria. PLUS  a mixed-media painting on canvas by an African artist, a keepsake and reminder to you that you help make the Abetenim dream school come. The minimum resale value of each painting is $600.

For $20,000

YOU ARE REALLY AMAZING!   You will receive the opportunity to name the school’s administrative building after you or your company PLUS a mixed-media painting on canvas by an African artist, a keepsake from the arts village in recognition of your pioneering help. The minimum resale value of painting is $600. We are inviting you be our special guest at the dedication ceremony in a Durbar to clelebrate the completion of the school building project.

For $30,000

GUEST OF HONOUR INVITATION!   We will name the school library after you or your company. If you allow us, we will ship to you a mixed-media painting on canvas by an African artist, a keepsake for your awesome contribution. You will be on our School Board of Advisors and you are much welcome as the Guest of Honor at the dedication ceremony in a Durbar to clelebrate the completion of the school building project. This invitation includes one-week accommodation and food at Abetenim town and a guided tour of regional sites.

More info at NKA foundations or eKuazion

3 may 2013

naturally built by hand (1)





Lake Titicaca, Perú
The lives of the Aymara or Uros Indians who live at 4.000 m above sea level revolve around the totora reeds, wich provides them with land, homes, transportation and food. In the shallow areas of the lake they mound reed and earth on top of existing reeds to form inmense floating islands. The roots of the reeds keeps the islands from drafting. the natives navigate the lakes on canoes made from tapered boundles of reeds that are bound toguether with grass ropes and the reeds serve as walls and floors as well.










The islands and typical boats used by the Uros Tribe around the floating islands of Lake Titicaca




Built by Hand
Bill Steen, Athenea Steen & Eiko Komatsu



27 mar 2012

earthen hand


Natural architecture
Earthen Hand

Social & Environment Sustainable,
 Healthy & Beauty




"Currently it is estimated that one half of the world's population, approximately three billion people on six continentsi, lives or works in buildings constructed of earth"
Ronald Rael


"Building the earth movement"
 Earthen Hand Natural Building

"Natural building is the realignment of our space and consciousness with mother nature"



GOALS:
To create amazing earthen structures and empower people by training them in natural building practices
 
MATERIALS:
earth + glass + wood + glass + rock

ACTIVITIES:

  • Cob Construction and Sculpture
  • Earth Bag Construction
  • Living Roofs
  • Round-wood Timber Framing
  • Adobe Brick Construction
  • Earth Plasters and Floors
  • Earthen Ovens & Fireplaces
  • Mosaics and Stone Work
  • Domes and Vaults
  • Passive Solar


WORKSHOPS:
  • Educational courses in earthen architecture:

    Natural building workshops

Oregon, Washington, California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Thailand, Mali, Egypt, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Madagascar... 

WHO:
Scott Howard
artist/builder/designer/teacher

Promoción del 2012: Off-grid Systems, Ferrocement, Earthships in general (Earthship Biotecture)

Promoción del 2001 (Whitman College)
 
 


"Scott Howard's most notable achievements have been; a 17 foot earthen dome completed in Mali; a 23 foot earthen dome built in Thailand; an ornate earthen cottage built for a local Portland school, exhibiting an ecoroof and eight stained glass windows by Scott; a set of artistic earthen columns on a porch in Portland, Oregon. Four other Portland schools also have substantial earthen works created by Scott, who teaches his methods to volunteers on most of his projects. Other works include his privately commissioned earthen benches, ovens, ceramic sculptures, stained glass windows, and artistic furniture."


“Our students are of all ages, and everyone learns a lot. Kids love playing with mud. Adults see the socio-political empowerment and utility of our techniques. Our international workshops assist indigenous communities by creating a useful structure. Participants of these workshops get a wonderful visit to a new country that allows them to interact with and give something significant to local peoples” 


“We encourage experimentation because it brings even more effective designs. It is our goal to create solid, artful structures that will inspire people to want to learn about them”
“I seek to create sacred spaces that inspire reverence for nature. The curvilinear and soft feeling of earthen materials encourages health and well-being. Nature itself shows us all the patterns that we might ever need to make harmonious dwellings in any climate. Natural Building is the realignment of our spaces and consciousness with mother nature. Our ancestors refined constructed human landscapes that never depart from the surrounding earth. Could the ancient builder have been more advanced than the contemporary?”

WHY EARTH:

"The choices we make today affect who we will be tomorrow."

Efficiency

Flexibility

Density (Thermal inertia + sound waves isolation + protection from: fire + wind + water + electromagnetic and microwaves)

Non-toxic

Affordability

Durability

Low impact

Low waste

Low energy consumption

Low water consumption

Little skilled labor

Minimal maintenance

Beauty

 
INSPIRATION


FAVOURITE AUTHORS:



FUTURE:


“Through our projects we will continually work to advance the technology of ecologically viable house design with innovation and testing on the buildings we construct. We offer the results of our research freely to all interested parties. Sharing information is the way we all win”.


PORTFOLIO:

Ahimsa Sanctuary Garden Kiva Meeting House
Philomath, OR
(2001)
Scott Howard

Features:
1200 sf meeting house
Tractor cob
This project was the site of a Cob Cottage workshop   
Scott's first Cob house



Sound Temple Dome
Koh Phangan, Thailand (2004)
Scott Howard (senior designer and builder)
Time: 8-week workshop 
People: 20 participants



Features:
-This catenary dome: 23 ft x 23ft (one of the largest of its kind in the world)
-A crew of local Thai builders finished the dome with cement plaster and tile. 
-The interior offers a rare acoustical experience because of its ability to focus echoes in the center of the space.







New Day School Meditation House 
Portland, OR (2003)

Architect: Mark Lakeman 
Builder: Scott Howard
Lead by Scott Howard and Joshua Klyber
Assisted by architect Gabriel Prost
Time: 2 consecutive years during the annual Village Building Convergence  
People: with the help of hundreds of enthusiastic people

Features:
-Stained glass windows depicting local landscapes,
-Woodcarvings of animals and plants
-Colorful mosaics.







Village Library
Tirelli, Dogon Country, Mali (2010)

Scott Howard 
Time: 2 week-long workshop 
People: Several local people during construction were employed

Features:
- Almost entirely made of earth
- It is a catenary arc, reaching nearly 17 feet in height.
- Serving as a library for many villages in the area, is a gift to the village of Tirelli
- First earthbag dome in Mali





SHOP:
Hand-made items by Scott

Ceramic and Cob Oven


Ceramic and Cob Oven


 Ceramic Planter, "Native Moons"

Large Vase


Mandala plaque