Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
Next revisionBoth sides next revision
research_report_sanjeev-shankar [2008-04-01 10:15] – sanjeevresearch_report_sanjeev-shankar [2008-04-01 11:09] – sanjeev
Line 83: Line 83:
 === Permaculture === === Permaculture ===
  
-[[Permaculture]] is an integrated, interdependent, evolving, multidimensional and creative design response to a world of declining energy and resource availability with emphasis on design processes drawn from nature. It is about values and visions, and design and systems of management that are based on holistic understanding, especially of our bio-ecological and pychosocial knowledge and wisdom. It is particularly about our relationships with, and the design and redesign of, natural resource management systems, so that they may support the health and well being of all present and future generations.+Permaculture is an integrated, interdependent, evolving, multidimensional and creative design response to a world of declining energy and resource availability with emphasis on design processes drawn from nature. It is about values and visions, and design and systems of management that are based on holistic understanding, especially of our bio-ecological and pychosocial knowledge and wisdom. It is particularly about our relationships with, and the design and redesign of, natural resource management systems, so that they may support the health and well being of all present and future generations.
 Permaculture also reflects the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems and can be intepreted to any area which might benefit from such holistic design theory and practice. Human settlements, business enterprises, political and economic systems, learning environments, health field and child rearing can be some of these areas.  Permaculture also reflects the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems and can be intepreted to any area which might benefit from such holistic design theory and practice. Human settlements, business enterprises, political and economic systems, learning environments, health field and child rearing can be some of these areas. 
  
Line 129: Line 129:
 A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, going across different aspects of sustainability. Further the character of cities in the western world is extremely different from the eastern world. These differences work at social, political and physical level and have shaped these cities. Hence, there is a great diversity in all these examples but the concept of "no loss" links them all. A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, going across different aspects of sustainability. Further the character of cities in the western world is extremely different from the eastern world. These differences work at social, political and physical level and have shaped these cities. Hence, there is a great diversity in all these examples but the concept of "no loss" links them all.
  
-* Rooftop gardens: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoying their own set of distinctive benefits. Rooftops are underutilized and rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development. There are essentially [[three options]] for rooftop gardens. +* Rooftop gardens: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoying their own set of distinctive benefits. Rooftops are underutilized and rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development.  
 + 
 +There are essentially [[three options]] for rooftop gardens. 
  
 * Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades. * Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades.
Line 147: Line 149:
 * The Citizen Pruner, New York:  People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed.  * The Citizen Pruner, New York:  People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed. 
  
-* Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible! +* Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible! 
 + 
 +=== Europe and India _ urban farming === 
 + 
 +see [[urban farming comparision]]
  
 === Orient vs Occident_ traditional farming === === Orient vs Occident_ traditional farming ===
Line 155: Line 161:
 === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits === === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits ===
  
-Note: The proposals and thoughts given below are diverse and vary from long term complex interventions to short term product solutions. The time range is variable too, from few years to few decades. Some of these proposals could directly feed the {sym} trajectory of GroWorld while others would be more suitable to the {bio} trajectory with GroWorld.+An important question considered by the researcher was, what are the growth symbols/patterns in urban areas? We have an opportunity here, to design responses which will directly impact the situation, related to real estate, construction, mass production, modular systems, transportation and architecture. Responses which soften the 'corporate  sheen' of cities to create ubiquitous greens _ **ubiquitous planting**. How can we do this ? As per recent statistics the planet adds 73 million humans to its tally ! Can we add 73 trillion plants every year ? http://www.worldometers.info
  
-1. To create **unbound spaces** and explore a new language for urbanism, architecture and spatial semantics. It would challenge existing perceptions and mental constructs. It would create systems for generating such spaces which draw upon the adaptive, diverse, organic, cyclical and holistic sense of ecological existence. These spaces would 'begin' in virtual realms(films, cyber games, ARG) and would gradually 'emerge' in physical reality to be habitable. They would draw on the fields of biomimetic design, evolving responsive environments, active and composite materials, nanotecture, swarm intelligence, cognition and smart textiles. Exploring knots, bundles and weaves at an urban scale could be an interesting direction. Beyond the visual and experiential aspect, a crucial question would be, 'How can the architecture become an ecological performer?' This is currently being termed as //econic design// and ongoing explorations include adaptive nature, growing structures, living technologies, materials as nutrients, pollinating energy and ultimately simulated eco-systems. Over few decades, self sustaining and self replicating, organic forested growth in cities would replace existing linear and structured planning. This would be a new city, best understood in stratas and layers. At a macro level the layers would work like a forest, with a permeable, playful organic canopy enveloping the cityscape. At the ground level, we would have a unifying and fertile 'soil' layer with no roads, no side walks, no rectangular grids, no partitions. A new biological carpet like urban fabric would emerge. The grid would be redefined. Cars and lifts would not be anything like what is seen today, they would be self adjusting intelligent systems which move vertically and horizontally, just like ants. They would communicate in a manner which could be based on swarm intelligence. Everything would be interconnected and these linkages would be clearly evident to everyone. Over time, with cities becoming increasingly forested and organic, one city could support the other in case of a disaster or sudden shift in resource need. There could be heat transfer to Brussels from Madrid during the winters, or water diversion from a high rainfall area to a drought stricken area. +see [[urban permaculture kits]]
  
-{{:perma60.jpg|}} +==== Discussion ====
-{{:perma62.jpg|}}+
  
-A more short term approach could be to develop a series of plug-ins and upgrades which can be easily integrated in current scenarios. The approaches would be inspired from nature but would adapt and morph to have a hybrid language of their own which goes in sync with existing modernist approaches.+see [[site visit and survey notes]]
  
-2. To create **green spider kits** which result in **spatial green micro environments** at an architectural level. Initially a playful framework which can be installed on existing vertical faces of buildings and finally creating a green envelope at a local level. The framework could be made of thin, colorful bamboo rings/loops combined with a tensile wire frame which supports appropriate plantations requiring minimum maintainance. The frames could be modularly attached over and over again. Over time the spatial framework will become invisible and the plantation layer ubiquitous. Such green bubbles would gradually become **spatial green rivers**, a regular feature in urban settings and over time evolve to become self sustaining ( they might develop features to catch mist from the air and fulfill their water requirements ! ) An important issue here would be to make this kit playful and modular such that middle class families could assemble and install it at an individual household level or community level. Further the source of the plants: the seed pod, could be residing inside these homes. This would create much needed awareness and sensitivity through a participatory approach resulting in effective, collective action. In certain areas which have buildings close to each other, say around a courtyard or continuous open space, these rivers would be more like green bridges, creating numerous overhead cross linkages through which sun light sprinkles down. The bridges could also be made of a string or a wire generating and evolving in a manner depending on what form the communty wants it to take. One of the interesting possibilities could be using seed balls which are strung together and suspended between buildings. Overtime these would sprout and act as green catalysts. As humans we would provide the structure and the geometry for the plantation. Some of the plants suitable for this could be **epiphytic or air plants**, for example orchids, ferns, mosses to name a few.  +* **Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam**
- +
-3. **Green strings**: A natural fibre string (possibly jute) which holds seed balls and can be strung between buildings. With time the seeds germinate and we have suspended plantations. Interesting possibilities could result over time with plants growing at an angle or upside down. The kit could actually pick up on the way prayer beads and flower garlands are assembled in India and would be an interesting add on to the existing trend of seed-balling. +
- +
-4. To have ubiquitous planting we can create a series of green tiles which can be used in a modular manner in the construction and automobile industry. _ **a green brick**_ a brick which breathes and lives like a plant_ you could call it a plant tile too: a properly designed intelligent green organic modular brick which can have a range of plants/seeds which can be incorporated in it based on the city/geographic location it is being used in, like any other modular brick ( for example a hollow concrete block ) this would find direct use in the construction industry and go with curtain walls/acoustic panels/aluminium sections/glass blocks. This will not be an add on like the current trend of bio-climatic walls but would be a structural repetitive element which would be like a green virus. The facade itself would be like one majestic green skin, made up of a thousand green tiles and a city would be associated with these green tiles and the specific plants they give life to. Scores of barren concrete walls which are commonly seen in cities like Dubai, Brussels, New York would give way to entire exuberant and fertile communities... known as ''Orchid city'' or ''Jasmine city'' or ''Tulip city''. +
- +
-The form of the tiles could be inspired from the field of biomimetics and would be strategically adapted to solve pressing problems specific to urban realms: +
-* Generate fragrance to counter foul smell of urine or rotting garbage which is so common in Delhi (e.g.: using queen of the night) +
-* Predate on pests and act as repellents for termites (Lantana is a pest repellent) +
-* Absorb noise and act as acoustic buffers. They could even generate light(bioluminescence) +
-* Become a source of nutrients, vitamins and herbal medicine ( Leucus aspara cures bronchitis and asthma, Lia Indica cures ulcers +
-* Become a source of additional revenue (Flowering plants and natural herbs like acaranthus used by dentists) +
- +
-{{:perma09.jpg|}} +
- +
-The message here is, //we will not step back//, we will not cut back on the scale and pace of growth in urban realms but we //can// feed life and fertility into that growth and make it a green growth.  +
- +
-5. The next stage of the green tile could be to create an **enhanced, biorenewable moss tile**. This could be self replicating and possibly generate electricity by acting as sun catchers. By behaving as water retainers they could also contribute to regulating the ambient temperature. Existing building skins would gradually be replaced by these tiles. +
- +
-6. To provide safe drinking water through modular **water purification kits** which use water purifying plants/algae or bacteria. This could again bring a strong connection between plants and humans with pure water being a serious concern in the developing world. An interesting project is the Ó Oxygen generator by Mathieu Lehanneur which contains oxygen-producing organisms called Spirulina platensis. Another project by the same designer, BEL AIR utilizes plants to act as an air filtering system. +
-{{:perma63.jpg|}} +
- +
-7. To create biofuel through a modular **biofuel generating kit** which uses community/state level plantation of specific crops (sugarcane/coconut/babassu !) or possibly converts left over kitchen oil into biofuel using certain algae.  +
- +
-8. Creating **green umbrellas** which absorb light to create shadow spots and spew darkness. These would work as shadow generators in places like the desert or extremely hot weather.  +
- +
-9. Alternatively creating **green fireflies** which when surrounded by darkness start glowing to emit light. The latter could find real use in countries like India where energy and light is in big demand. Field of research: biolumniscence  +
-An interesting counter example worth mentioning is the project, 'Green Light' by by Natalie Jeremijenko of the Experimental Design Lab. The product includes an integrated solar panel to power a super-efficient LED bulb to stimulate plants of high air filtrating varieties. However, the question, if this product is really 'green' still remains !  +
-{{:perma56.jpg|}} +
- +
-10. Creating **green charkhas** to make your own yarn and further your own clothes, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's movement in India to make people self sufficient and independent. With people growing their own plants and converting the produce to yarn this could lend to a systematic reintroduction of a traditional craft which brings the produce from plants and the process of making yarn back into our daily routine. Unlike the traditional spinning wheel, the green charkha could be made more efficient with the integration of technology and an additional integration of the features from a sewing machine. +
- +
-{{:perma29.jpg|}} {{:perma30.jpg|}} +
- +
- +
-11. Creating a **green clock**, which uses the natural rhythms of plants and flowers as a new way of denoting and communicating time. This would be an interesting way to look at the linear progression of time in a different way. Flowers, following their circadian rhythms can prove to be interesting timekeepers. What if we could coordinate the blooming such that flowers open and close at set times of the day or connect it with the movement of leaves? Swedish botanist Carolus Linneaus first made the connection between flowers and time. The formal study of biological temporal rhythms such as daily, weekly, seasonal, and annual rhythms, is called chronobiology and the study of this could inform this design. Some of the flowering plants and their opening times are given below:  +
- +
-  * Common morning glory: 6 am +
-  * Water Lily: 7 am +
-  * Field marigold: 9 am +
-  * Star-of-Bethlehem: 11 am +
-  * Passion flower and carnation: noon +
-  * Moon flower: 5 pm +
-  * Evening primrose: 6 pm +
-  * Fig marigold: 7 to 8 pm +
-  * Night blooming cereus: 8 to 9 pm +
- +
-These times are accurate to Uppsala, Sweden where Linnaeus grew these plants.  +
- +
- +
-12. **Seed Spot Project** +
- +
-Bacground: //Rural vs Urban//: During the course of this journey, Sanjeev has begun to question the proposed duality between rural and urban. Instead of partitioning and segmenting one field or one reality from the other, our true strength lies in synthesising both realities. We need to create a new reality. //We need to involve and evolve the city with the country people//. We need to create linkages. We need to have cities which have 'villages' or rural spaces growing and thriving within them and we need to have villages which have 'cities' or 'city like spaces' thriving within them. Can we imagine urban inhabitants looking out their windows onto rice paddies and vegetable gardens, and beyond to forested and natural resource lands? +
-During his travels to remote rural parts, Sanjeev sometimes wonders if the experience is real? How could both experiences be real and how could he feel a part of two seemingly different spatial, mental constructs? Certain parts of Delhi( e.g. Chandni Chowk) and Bombay(pigeon feeding spots) create a sense of absolute 'rural' time and space for him. Can this be true? Are these pure mental constructs or is their a defining physical, tangible element? Could these edges, dual character spaces be catalysts for growth, especially as they are constantly being redrawn? Can a city be fragmented into time zones relative to its sense of speed or spatial quality, wherein, zones which are in a greater state of flux or have a more //structured// feel become closer to an 'urban' definition and are therefore treated differently? +
- +
-In his mind there is no difference between the real and the virtual. There is always a constant and complimentary force at play. A city's bedrock are its variables, its idiocyncracies, the changes in its character, the constant state of flux. This makes it heterogenous, dynamic, resilient and self sustaining. It must not be simple. It should thrive in complexity. This would be ecologically sound and economically profitable. So the question should be, can we introduce complexity? And if we can, then how should we do it? One of the principles of creating a complex, self sustaining system is to relinquish power. People should be given tools to create their own change.  +
- +
-We could start with an attempt to declare spaces within a city as '**community seed spots**'. The idea is inspired by the communal get togethers of village heads called the '//panchayat//' in Indian villages where everyone sits under a tree and discusses village issues. Located in urban public areas, these spots would be periodically sowed with green ideas (real and virtual) which would become catalysts for change and exchange. The ideas would be by the people and for the people. The community would nourish and maintain the idea. There would be a sense of pride, competition and festivity. Sometimes these ideas could be about a group of housewives and school children planting seasonal plants to create a kitchen garden or a refreshing gettogether where people dance and sing in public sharing knowledge about pressing issues through street plays. On other occassions the community could get together to create an educational installation out of 'thrown things', demonstrating the reuse of waste generated by the community. Often these seed spots could become free **performance libraries**, brainstorming areas or public museums but in a very permeable, all encompassing, seamless, informal kind of way. The idea is to create a series of sustainable platforms for the community to create thinkers and leaders. It is to create a grass root, bottom up solution where the power is given to the people to discuss their issues and find solutions to them. It is a kind of reintepretation of creating a public, self sustaining, infinitely multiplying global, urban version of FoAM ! No two seed spots will be the same. They will have their own character, may be their own flags. They might grow over time. They would become reflectors of the community and of the city in general. they could have their own knowledge base which is shared informally and may be formally too.  +
- +
-{{:perma59.jpg|}} +
- +
-Some questions: What would be the defining feature of such a space? Why does it work in a place like India and not in the West? Can the Indian model be analysed, distilled and reintepreted? Is it the power of the 'myth' in India? Can we create a new myth? +
- +
- +
-==== Discussion ==== +
- +
-  * **Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam**+
  
 Established in 1663, the hortus is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world with more than 6000 plants from all over. What started out as a medicinal herb garden, the hortus grows only pure plant species, as they are found in nature. It is also the first botanic garden in the Netherlands to display the molecular systemics of plants to everyone and continues to organize various cultural, educational and botanical activities through out the year. Established in 1663, the hortus is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world with more than 6000 plants from all over. What started out as a medicinal herb garden, the hortus grows only pure plant species, as they are found in nature. It is also the first botanic garden in the Netherlands to display the molecular systemics of plants to everyone and continues to organize various cultural, educational and botanical activities through out the year.
Line 237: Line 176:
  
  
-  * **Current Status of Organic farming in India**+* **Current Status of Organic farming in India**
  
 Organic farming is gathering momentum all over the globe and is currently practiced in more than 100 countries. Although the term 'organic farming' is Organic farming is gathering momentum all over the globe and is currently practiced in more than 100 countries. Although the term 'organic farming' is
Line 279: Line 218:
 Further, almost all bank loans are for pure crop farmers, that is, monoculturalists. While many of these big-business farmers use harmful chemicals and processes, small farmers fertilizing their soil with recycled organic wastes are usually ineligible for insurance, much less state subsidies. Further, almost all bank loans are for pure crop farmers, that is, monoculturalists. While many of these big-business farmers use harmful chemicals and processes, small farmers fertilizing their soil with recycled organic wastes are usually ineligible for insurance, much less state subsidies.
  
-  +* **Case Study Delhi**
- +
-  * **Case Study Delhi**+
  
 Some pointers related to organic farming in Delhi: Some pointers related to organic farming in Delhi:
  • research_report_sanjeev-shankar.txt
  • Last modified: 2008-06-13 21:58
  • by sanjeev
  • Currently locked by: 185.109.184.150