Cal Earth Vault Village Assessment and Conceptual Design
description
Transcript of Cal Earth Vault Village Assessment and Conceptual Design
Cal Earth Vault Village Assessment and Conceptual Design
Prepared By: Mary Kate Carter, Doug Alber, Crystal Torres, & Cathy Makunga
October 18, 2013
Vision for the Property & Design;As shared by Hooman Fazly. The permaculture design that follows addresses these objectives.
Provide Housing for up to 15 Students Dormitories
N/W Vault to house 3 students Southern Vault to house 12 students
Full bathroom facilities Kitchen Common living space Create outdoor group gathering and individual
contemplative space
Provide designated vault for hands-on workshops and/or lecture space
Manage potential black-water (i.e. grease/degreaser)
Ensure easy access from the west and the south for people & equipment
Maintain good ventilation of building Ensure appropriate vehicle access to area
Install plants that are relatively maintenance free:
Grow with little or no attendance Hearty & perennial Readily edible Students can harvest yields when on campus
Re-Vegetate Landscape:
Create a denser plant environment Use plants that are native to landscape Work within existing desert habitat
Protected plant species cannot be disturbed
Use Water Beneficially
Black-water systems Potentially homemade septic system Plan for 30’ leech line placement
Grey-water systems Use water on the landscape
Employ proper drainage for landscape and excavation pit Establish water catchment within “village” & along the
fence Prepare for occasional large flooding phenomenon
Design Retaining Wall Non-linear Stack functions Interact with existing habitat Create micro-environments for humans & plants
The Assessment
Description of Property and Area Property is located in Hesperia, CA - San Bernadino County Building site approximately 22,500 sq ft. Elevation 3700 ft Long/Lat. -- Coordinates: 34°24′46″N 117°18′22″W Annual Rainfall is approximately 6” Wide swing in temperatures: summer high of 101 and down
to low 30’s in the winter months Dominant Wind Directions are from the North/West during the
winter and from the South/West during the summer months
Topography:
Google Earth map elevation features identified that the land has only a very slight slope (2%);
Moving from SW to NE with a total drop in elevation of 6ft from corner to corner (600ft run)
Excavation will introduce a cavity that drops courtyard to 5ft below current grade
Soils: The predominant soil classification is Cajon Sand. Soil has a high drainage
rate of 13in/hour. Organic matter is virtually non-existent. Therefore conditioning with organic matter and holding water on the land will be necessary to produce healthy plants and good yields.
Organic Matter (%) Percent Clay Percent Sand Ksat (mm/hr) pH (1:1 H2O) Kf Factor
EC (dS/m) SAR CaC03 (%) Gypsum (%) CEC at pH7 (cmol +
/kg soil) Linear Extensibility
(%)
Design
Initial Layout Design
Early Design Strategies
Hold water on the landscape Solutions for retaining wall Maximize edge zones Create learning environments & Build community
among residents Build density of native landscape & introduce
compatible vegetation Slow and Steady Solutions Low maintenance design
Vault Village Design
Hold Water on Landscape
Put in porous pavement on west and southern paths to village along with installation of French drains
Capture rain drainage from vaults and direct to water holding areas
Route vault 1 dormitory greywater to reed planters then onto northern landscape
Route vault 3 dormitory greywater to mulberry food forest to the south
Put in dry wells on SW corner and NE corners of village Put in swale on contour along Northern fence Install drainage tubes through retaining wall at critical spots
Water Management
Solutions for Retaining Wall
Build in water containment & treatment
Double helix – organically inspired design that will allow for installation of planters, intimate/contemplative seating areas, & stairs for access to higher elevation
Maximize edge zones – life flourishes
Arch shaped windows on upper margin of wall to provide a “rabbit view” of landscape and provide access zones for wildlife traffic
Create learning environments & Build community among residents
Amphitheater seating for gathering Dedicated classroom vault Communal living spaces Micro-food forest in existing rest area
Workshop Vault Door
Build density of native landscape & introduce compatible vegetation Existing native plants will be relocated along northern
& eastern fences during the excavation process Plant additional trees/guilds suitable to desert
environment to support water retention Create perennial food forest within established &
productive micro-climate on western corridor of village Organic form of wall works with existing & protected
vegetation allowing for experimental permaculture landscaping options
Compatible Plants:Northern CorridorHoney Mesquite
Compatible Plants: Eastern CorridorBanana Yucca
Compatible PlantsEastern CorridorPomegranate
Compatible Plants:Southern CorridorMulberry
Compatible PlantsFood Forest
Ground Cherry Grapes Jerusalem Artichokes Rosemary Bramble
Design it to be low maintenance
All watering through passive systems Gravity & Rain Greywater diversion
Perennial plants Passive solar heating and ventilation
Slow and Steady Solutions
Phased building plan may extend over several seasons
Students will contribute to building structures and planting landscape
Continued observation of plant vitality & integration w/landscape
Observe effect of new micro-climates
Vault Village Design