In my last post, I glossed over the types of EcoVillages that I would like to build with BioHarmonic Architecture principles. The goal is to create self-sustaining pockets of humans that gather under a common purpose. Each type of EcoVillage I have in mind has a slightly different purpose for gathering.
EcoCenter (Education, Experimentation)
EcoRestore (Transitional Housing for the Marginalized)
EcoRetire (Retirement Village for the Aging)
EcoResident (Your own Private Village for family/friends)
Until I get more time to learn 3D modeling, here is an AI's approximation of what I want to build. Not too bad, thanks Midjourney.
EcoCenter
A regional hub for experimenting and educating with BioHarmonic Architecture. It will host workshops for anything about the Domesteading process that people want to learn, from constructing an earthen floor to assembling a dome frame. Once units are built, it will be used to host events like OACC, and rent out units on AirBnB in between. This would also be a great place to have a small market, where any surplus produce or artisan goods created by residents of any sister-village could be consigned.
EcoRestore
Once the public-facing EcoCenter is on its way, I want to use the lessons learned (and maybe even some of its revenue, if it has any extra) to build separate villages that will serve our region's homeless populations. Not only will it provide transitional housing, but transitional education as well. Once they are settled into a unit, they can learn the skills to build their own by helping grow the village, and learn other skills around the village to find how they want to contribute. Once they are back on their feet and gaining confidence, we will work on a transition plan to either settle them into a sister-village or find out how they want to re-enter society and contribute. I currently see the possibility for different types of EcoRestore villages, partnering with different organizations (like RAPHA and Watered Gardens for example) to find those in need, and designing a slightly different village based on the group of people it will serve.
EcoRetire
A finished Domestead has a very accessible and inherently healing design. No stairs, no doorways or sharp corners, just archways and curtains. It is filled with fresh air from all sorts of plants that you can use for self-healing and of course keeping yourself well-fed. While I think everyone benefits from this, I also see it being particularly helpful as a living situation for the aging population who may have difficulty navigating box-homes, getting to and from the grocery store, etc. I also selfishly want to make sure that the older folks I care about have a comfortable place to retire. It also serves as one of the sister-villages to EcoRestore, if a person transitioning out of EcoRestore is aging or disabled.
EcoResident
Once the BioHarmonic Architecture principles have been practiced and refined, and the public starts experiencing what a Domestead can feel like to live in, people will want to build their own villages for families or friend groups. While I want to make sure we have documented the process well enough for anyone to do it themselves, it might make sense to also offer consultation, connections, or remote workshops to help get these going. Connections made this way might also help to re-home those coming out of EcoRestore.
"Market Research"
I might be getting ahead of myself a bit here. I know I need to prove and record my ideas to make sure they work before I can really begin building any of these. But these are the thoughts that made it into a blog post, and I am curious to find out more about interest and potential for the different village types. To that end, I have created a short survey. If you have any interest in helping make any of these villages a reality, please fill this out and let me know how you would like to contribute. We will need Partnerships, Stuff, Money, and Land. I have embedded the survey below, but you can also view (or share) the survey directly from this link: EcoVillage Market Survey.
Thank you for reading, I hope to hear from you soon!