RE: [GBlist] house thoughts

[deumling@socrates.Berkeley.EDU]

On Thu, 10 Jan 2002, Ralph Bicknese wrote:
> impose unrealistic and undue restrictions on our thinking and ourselves,
> or we can get creative and work to solve the problems in a way that will
> allow people to have what they want, including certain 'things", and a clean
> and healthy environment.
> Let's get those thinking caps cranking on something else other than square
> footage impositions or restrictions.

I disagree that we much choose between creativity _and_ restrictions.

I think one of the most creativity-inducing strategies I can think of
would be to identify what some would undoubtedly consider "unrealistic"
or "undue" restrictions on one or another parameter (embodied transport
energy in materials, house size, minimal energy demands, location
vis-a-vis infrastructure, etc.) and figure out how to
design/build/furnish/dwell in houses that met those requirements.  How to
(why) be creative if there are no limits established from the outset?

"Square footage impositions," as you put it, are but one way to set
ourselves the challenge of living within the kind of limits we (will)
face--either in the long hall* (good chance of encountering such in
Susanka's houses), or in the long haul (a tougher, if more honest
spatial challenge--perhaps akin to a journey?)

> the point is valid that we in North America have outstripped the
> earth's ability to provide for us over the long hall* and need to change
> our ways.  Obviously most of us understand that.
> We are all (on this list) trying to figure out what we are going to do
> about it.  There are multiple paths.

Reuben Deumling


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