Claude Lewenz on VillageTowns (6 min video)
How would you design a town if you started from scratch? This is the question and challenge that faced Claude Lewenz after he decided that his native USA was not ready and decided to go to New Zealand to live. Today we review an interview that Tim Halbur had with Mr. Lewenz which highlights some of his guiding principles to create a sustainable community in both economic and social respects. This starts with the intelligent design of small self-sustaining communities.
Key Quotes:
"what would happen if we use architecture and design so that the problems didn’t grow, and eventually died out? That we actually use design rather than rules or rather than taxpayers' money or all this nonsense"
"enable people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being while protecting and persevering the environment and the life giving forces of earth, water, sky, and ecosystems for now and for the foreseeable needs of future generations." [stated purpose of New Zealand’s resource management act)
“when a community gets over 150 people, people don't know each other anymore…if you have a community of 1,200 people you can only support one general store there…You need 5-10,000 people to have a local economy. That's where this concept of village-town came from”
"when several villages come together to become self-supporting, the purpose of their continuance is to enable their people, their citizens, to enjoy a good life"
“I’m a big fan of cafe, tavern, "taberna" type lifestyle where, especially in Eurppe you go to a place and the food’s inexpensive, fantastic tasting, and it isn’t like going out to dine, where you have to spend $100 and can't do that very often”
Related articles
- Erie Region Gets $1.8 Million 'Sustainable Communities' Grant (progresspennsylvania.wordpress.com)
- Tactical Urbanists Brighten Cities With Renegade Decor (sustainablecitiescollective.com)
- 9 Odd Towns And Villages (presurfer.blogspot.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment