I was going to chuck in a whole list of quite interesting sites, but that would be too long — there really is a lot of good material out there. Instead, I have chosen sites that provide either extremely useful information that lead to many other valuable resources (such as the relatively mainstream Sprawl Guide), or provocative brain-food and inspiration, like Arcosanti. — Paul
- ecopolisnow.com
This is the site that deals with the theory of ecopolis and the idea that cities are the essential tools for shaping a future in which the earth continues to be hospitable to us.
- APFED Best Practice database
Christie Walk is a 'best practice' case study on the APFED database. What's APFED?
- 2005 World Habitat Awards
Christie Walk was a finalist in the World Habitat Awards 2005
- Trees for Life
Ecopolis Architects are Golden Wattle sponsors of Trees For Life for their new premises.
Trees For Life was established in 1981 from a small group of community members with a common desire to act positively for our environment. Trees For Life now has over 10,000 members with its aim: "to promote and assist in the revegetation of South Australia and the protection of its remnant vegetation." Community driven and not-for-profit, Trees For Life recycles all income back into comprehensive revegetation and vegetation protection programs. From small beginnings, Trees For Life is now one of South Australia's most successful and respected environmental organisations, with over 27 million seedlings grown to date.
- Rawnsley Park Eco-Villas
Strawbale, steel and recycled timbers feature in the new 5 Star ecotourism accommodation designed by Ecopolis Architects for Tony and Jullie Smith in the outback landscape of Rawnsley Park in the Flinders Ranges of South Australia.
- Ramsay Rebuild
Ecopolis Architects were winners of the competition to design 7 Star accessible housing for spinal cord trauma victims. In association with Emilis Prelgauskas architect and Taylot Cullity Lethlean landscape architects we expect this important project to be built and occupied early in 2007.
- Ramsay Rebuild results
More on Ramsay Rebuild
- Ramsay Rebuild
More on Ramsay Rebuild
- Williams-Smith House
Simon Williams and Felicity Smith have been building an Ecopolis Architects designed strawbale ecohouse in the Adelaide Hills. Check out their website.
- 5th International Ecocity Conference
Check out the proceedings of the Fifth International Ecocity Conference held in China August 2002.
- Urban Ecology Australia
Check out Urban Ecology Australia, the non-profit organisation that Ecopolis Architects director Downton and his partner Chérie Hoyle were instrumental in creating back in 1991.
- Urban Ecology
Check out what has become of Urban Ecology, the US organisation that helped inspire the creation of UEA. It's still doing good things.
- Less Parking, More Walking
CarFree Times. Get out and walk!
- Sprawl Articles
A great resource on urban sprawl! Somewhat American, but where the decay is greatest, the compost is richer. Australia is still far too complacent about urban sprawl and its associated issues, perhaps because there are no older cities to show how much better things could be.
- Arcosanti
Like the idea of extremely compact pedestrian cities set in the midst of wilderness or flying through space? Want to fire up neurons jaded by too much exposure to corporate architecture and mindless, passion-free planning? Visit the Arcosanti site! Home of Paolo Soleri and his divine madness. He may have severe authoritarian tendencies but this guy is arguably the primary creator of the quintessential ecological city vision.
- California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture
This institute founded by Nader Khalili in 1986 carries out leading edge research into earth architecture that ranges from low cost housing to lunar base construction. Khalili's book 'Racing Alone' is a great read.
- The Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CFMBS)
Based in Adelaide's sister city of Houston, Texas, through CFMBS, Pliny Fisk and Gail Vittori have been doing
- Yestermorrow Design/Build School
How can an organisation with a name like that not be worth looking at?
- Ocean Arks International
Jack and Nancy Todd and the New Alchemists were some of the earliest and most revered pioneers of serious ecological design. They still produce some of the best stuff around.
- Friends of Kebyar
This loose (mostly American) group of extreme organic architects and designers prove Hundertwasser's assertion that the straight line is a godless tool of the devil. The 10th Anniversary issue of their journal included one of the earliest articles about Downton's Ecopolis concept.
- Ken Yeang
will one day be recognised as one of the greatest ever innovators in high rise building design. Whilst many designers and theorists were bogged down in the idea that ecological architecture had to be low-rise and rather earthy (not that there's anything wrong with that kind of design — I do rather a lot myself!) Yeang designed, described and built high rise buildings that dealt with very urban ecologies. He still does.
- Redefining Progress
A great outfit doing excellent work on ecological footprints. Adelaide Urban Ecologist Sharon Ede spent some time with these people in 2003 and confirms the breadth and depth of their radical and vital work. Check out the site and check out your footprint while you're there.
- City of Austin Green Builder Program
The original and probably the best, not least because of early involvement and inspiration from CFMPBS.
- Healthy Building Network
Good information. Healthy buildings are probably more important in the long run than 'energy efficient' buildings. Energy efficiency does not pre-suppose, nor require, healthy building, but long term human sustainability absolutely does.
- The Rocky Mountain Institute
is the Lovins' remarkable organisation that manages to speak to US Presidents and radical environmentalists perhaps because they are ‘independent, non-adversarial, and transideological.’ But would someone please tell me, if it is true, why Amory has been reported as supporting nuclear energy as an option?
- Sustainable Architecture, Sustainable Development
A rich resource trove.
- Your Home Design Guide
Brilliant resource — best thing the federal government has ever done! Tremendous work by some inspired and knowledgeable people working in and through government. UEA and yours truly have been pleased to be part of the effort. Check out this site for massive amounts of accessible information on healthy, energy efficient, ecologically responsible building aimed at home owners and occupiers.
- Smart Communities Network
- The Green Map System
Urban Ecology Australia co-founder Chérie Hoyle worked with UEA, Adelaide City Council and the South Australian state government to produce a Green Map for the City of Adelaide back in 1997. This is an international movement to map the positive attributes of our cities. Great stuff.
- Huff ’n’ Puff
Looking at strawbale? Start here with Huff ’n’ Puff and the remarkable John and Susan.
- The Gaia Foundation and Ecovillage Network
A wonderful thing, but I believe we will need much more urban thinking about human settlement to deal with the harsh reality of being a city-making species with a global industrial base and a yearning to reach the stars.
- EcoCity Cleveland
An industrial city re-inventing itself to fit the realities of our biosphere. Good site, great information.
- Bureau of Public Secrets
A kind of antidote to the rural bucolic miasma...
- Stewart Brand's home page
If the words Whole Earth Catalog or The Long Now don't mean anything to you yet, check out the Brand name. And get hold of a copy of How Buildings Learn in any case.
- The Official Brian Wilson site
if I could make architecture like this man makes music, I'd be happy.
