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ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: NEAR ENTRY - RUBBLE MAZE |
ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: NEAR ENTRY - RUBBLE 'DRAGON' (pic 8-6-96 / to NNE) |
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ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: BLACKSMITH WORKSITE |
ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: WASH-PLACE [01] - PLUS 'PERMACULTURE' GARDEN Also
intended to demonstrate 'permaculture' to site visitors. |
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ECO-VILLAGE SITE: WASH-PLACE [0 2] - (PART OF A 'PERMACULTURE' SYSTEM)(pic 6-6-96 / to NW) |
ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: TOILET (BLUE) -
BACK
The two site toilets
'manufactured' agricultural compost. |
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ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: TOILET
(GREEN) [01]
- ENTRY |
ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: TOILET
(GREEN)
[02] -
INTERIOR |
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ECO-VILLAGE
SITE: RIVER-WALL MOSAIC Made
by an anonymous visitor. |
ECO-VILLAGE
SITE |
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ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING
[01]
- STRUCTURAL DESIGN: BILL KNIGHT Designed
principally by Bill Knight, a civil engineer, with the input of other site-users. Its
wood structure's strength was calculated by AutoCAD.
['Roundhouse'
extracts below are from Bill Knight's account of
the whole site:
http://www.tlio.org.uk/campaigns/wandsworth/purebill.html
]
We
needed to build a big structure as a focus for the village. It was agreed to
build a round house to take two hundred people. A simple sketch and a little
thought and I had a list of timber sizes and lengths we were looking for and
fixings we would need to hold it together safely. The building had to be
flexible and able to be erected on hard or soft land as we still didn't know
were we were going. [Paragraph
removed ....] The
wood for the roundhouse was finally located, Brendan had been bringing in bits
from a mysterious source but there wasn't enough. Then on a bus up the A40 I
spotted it, a huge pile from the demolition of the houses to widen the road. A
quick visit from Jacqueline and I, some negotiations with the contractors and we
had a truck load delivered to our storage space. [Paragraphs
removed ....] [On
the site ....] Unloading
over, there was a little time before the meeting to find a place for the
roundhouse. [....] Meantime Steve, Gary and I found our spot. It was large enough
for the roundhouse and left space all around for an outer circle of homes. There
was a space to the west which was grassy and raised up perfect for watching a
play or band in the roundhouse. I guestimated where the centre pole should go
and scratched a cross in the ground. [Paragraph
removed ....] Back
at the roundhouse site we began to dig the hole for the central post, the only
bit which needed to go into the ground. Amazingly we had picked a point between
two huge chunks of concrete a foot from each other with another piece about four
foot down making the perfect foundation. Soon the post was up and by the end of
the day the central section of the building was nearing completion. Steve and I
spent much of the next three days working with a small group to get the rest of
the frame up. Plywood was cut and nailed on the central roof and a tarpaulin
formed temporary walls. Old light fittings found in Ken's van were nailed to
four of the eight posts and filled w ith candles. As the sun set over Wandsworth
bridge directly in front of the one open side it cast a golden light into the
building. To me it took on the air of a temple, peaceful and calm with people
sitting happily talking up plans for the rest of the site, playing music and
reading poetry. [Paragraphs
removed ....] I
returned on Saturday lunch time to find a transformation. The wind generator
span on the roof of the roundhouse above solar panels, the walls were finished,
thin branches formed patterns in the windows and more candle holders made from
reclaimed copper pipe spiralled around the central post. Gardens were full of
plants and seedlings had already begun to sprout. The irrigation system for the
gardens was working. Locals wandered around the site and a party spirit was
building up. That evening was the high point of the occupation for me. The
efforts of so many different people had come together and created a truly unique
place in the heart of a city. Bands played late into the night as two hundred
people danced inside the roundhouse. |
ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING
[02]
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ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING
[03] - INTERIOR Steve Jones notes: "We
built the roundhouse based on a central 'king post' with lateral rafters to
posts forming a 6 sided structure. This was further extended out and clad in
salvaged cladding found on site. We waterproofed the structure using discarded
plastic 'For Sale' signs. A nice irony!" |
ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING [04] - INTERIOR The big open 'porch' has been closed with plastic sheeting. |
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ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING
[05] - INTERIOR: STOVE The
stove is a fire-brick box clamped between two halves of an oil-drum. On the wall
behind are lists of "Suggested
Guidelines" for maintaining the "project": dealing with the
site, its inhabitants
and visitors, external authorities, etc.. |
ECO-VILLAGE: COMMUNAL BUILDING
[06] -
WITH ADDED ENCLOSURES The white yurt was for food storage(?) and the blue canvas(?) enclosure for food preparation. |
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ECO-VILLAGE: COMMUNAL
BUILDING
[07]
-
WITH
ADDED ENCLOSURES |
ECO-VILLAGE: COMMUNAL
BUILDING
[08]
-
WITH ADDED ENCLOSURES |
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ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING [08]
- FOOD
PREPARATION ENCLOSURE |
ECO-VILLAGE:
COMMUNAL BUILDING
[09] -
WITH ADDED ENCLOSURES By
this time, the plastic-sheeted enclosures - whose harmonious shapes and
dispositions expressed the ecology of expanding possibilities and
needs - have been replaced by a 'shed' whose mean and inelegant awkwardness (probably) expresses a hasty response to a
degenerative/diminishing factor: food thieves! ... a vector of defense and depression opposed to that
which formed the physical means of opening potentials. |
