A. Broad Scale Site Design
Methodology of Design
Permaculture design emphasizes patterning of landscape, function, and species assemblies. It asks the question, “Where does this element go? How is best placed for maximum benefit in the system?”
Permaculture is made up of techniques and strategies:
• Techniques are how we do things (one-dimensional)
• Strategies are how and when (two-dimensional)
• Design is patterning (multi-dimensional)
Permaculture is all about the science and ethics of design patterning
Approaches to design:
-Maps: “where is everything?”
-Analysis of elements: “how do these things connect?”
-Sector planning: “where do we put things?”
-Observational
-Experiential
Maps: A main tool of a designer, but “the map is never the territory”. Be careful not to design just from maps, no map tells the entire story that can be observed on the ground. A sequence of maps is valuable to see clearly where to place elements: Water, Access, Structures, Topology etc.
The analysis of elements: List the needs, products, and the intrinsic characteristics of each element. Lists are made to try and link the supply needs of elements to the production needs of others.
An example that is easy to understand is the lists needed to link a chicken into a system:
Experiment on paper, connecting and combining the elements (buildings, plants, animals, etc) to achieve no pollution (excess product), and minimum work. Try to have one element fulfill the needs of another.
Observational: Free thinking or thematic thinking (e.g. on weed species)
a) Note phenomenon
b) Infer (make guesses)
c) Investigate (research)
d) Devise a strategy
Experiential: Become conscious—of yourself, feelings, and environment. Can be free-conscious or thematically-conscious. Zazen-walking without thinking, unreflective.