The site has been earmarked as an ideal location to
establish facility that responds to the growing demand for eco tourism. The
proposal for the development is to provide a place for people to learn more
sustainable ways of living. This will be achieved by individual’s integrating
into an existing community fabric that has established roots in sustainable
living. The development involves the construction of a new residential facility
that will allow visitors the opportunity to experience some of the most basic
sustainable living ideals. Including Composting, Waste minimisation, Water
Saving, and Growing Vegetables.
The first impression of the buildings will be that they
blend into the site a fade away into the landscape. This can be observed as you
enter the main building and look out across the manicured landscaped area. This
area has been placed central to both the main building and the sleeping pods
and provides a transitional space between these two elements that helps draw
them into each other. This area will be used for informal. Relaxed activities.
As you make your way through the building you will reach an informal interior room that flows out onto a deck that separates the main building into two very different spaces. The space to the north (adjacent to the landscaped area) will be quiet and relaxed, where as the area to the south will be a hive of activity this space combines kitchen, lounge and dinning and will be buzzing every night.
Off the informal space are two very different rooms, one being the gym and the other the study. These rooms will more than likely be utilised in the morning or night and will be a place that people can re connect with themselves.
The outdoor space will be used regularly and
when all the sliding doors are opened the kitchen, lounge, dining and outside
deck spill into each other and become a single room. A great place to catch-up
after a day of harvesting or planting crops.
Taking a step back from the building you can see that it blends into the landscape and connects with its surrounds the natural timber materials selected reflect the ideals of the Woodford site and provide additional connection to the surrounding environment.
The sleeping pods have been designed to form a
village surrounding the main building. For the users these pods simply feel like
an extension of the main building and some what like outside rooms. This has been achieved
by the bounding landscaping that provides a tangible connection between the two
types of structures.
The residence is 1 of 4 proposed for the site and is to house
a maximum of 24 people in each small cluster. The clusters will be
composed of 12 permanent residence and 12 visitors. The design of the pods can be easily modified to suit a small family however in the first stage the development on has double rooms.
The pods have been designed so that they are very easy to construct and in the future it is planned that residence will learn how to construct them throughout the site to be used by the Woodford Folk Festival and other events that are held on the site, including the annual tree planting. Other ideas for the site are that in times that festivals are not on surrounding schools can use the pods for school camp and the students can learn more sustainable ways to live at home.
The pods have been designed so that they are very easy to construct and in the future it is planned that residence will learn how to construct them throughout the site to be used by the Woodford Folk Festival and other events that are held on the site, including the annual tree planting. Other ideas for the site are that in times that festivals are not on surrounding schools can use the pods for school camp and the students can learn more sustainable ways to live at home.
The overarching principle of the community is sharing and
cooperation, many hands make light work and in this community people will be
exposed to a new way of living where everyone chips in and plays their part in
the everyday aspects of life to facilitate an improved work, life balance.
