Charrette Design Problem Statement


Green Principles of Design: A Charrette Course in Community Design Program and Problem Statement

Create an “eco-village” as part of the fabric of the UVM campus. 
This could mean restructuring existing space and functions to meet the concept of “eco-village” or developing an “eco-village” model on existing UVM-owned agricultural land. 

Neither situation/location is exclusive of any others, both should be additive to the larger geography of change.  The solutions developed must integration into the structure and fabric of UVM as a community and fulfill a larger definition of being part of the bio-regional community.

Define, develop, and propose an “eco-village” model.
Choose to work on either the L/L complex or Wheelock Farm sites.  Each team may refine the program and interpret the site as they need to to meet their groups reading of the site, its conditions/constraints/opportunities, and connection opportunities to the larger context.  You will be proposing patterns of habitation, transportation, energy- and food-consumption, types of work—from creating energy sources (solar, food) to learning and playing.  Through your design you will show what living as an “eco-village” means for UVM and our bio-region.

Criteria to include as basic characteristics:
ß Living and learning as a laboratory for sustainable agriculture, integration of urban/rural dichotomy, renewable energy, ecological economics, integrated ecological systems, governance and ownership/tenancy.

ß Population of 80—40 students, 20 faculty, staff and families, 20 at-large community-members (and families), to be inclusive of diversity, and multi-cultural.

ß Housing clustered to minimize site impact and improve social interaction; independent living units with common house, barn, greenhouse, and other shared facilities; have a healing footprint on Earth, and be a desirable aesthetic place to live and learn.

ß Inclusion of 20-40 acres of organic farming and animal husbandry, forestry, and enhancement of water quality.

ß Ecologically designed to be a net producer of energy systems—food and electricity.

ß Consensus-based governance and a model of ownership/tenancy.




End products should consist of:
ß Overall site “development” plan (showing conceptual land usage, building coverage, protected zones, adjacencies, buffers, if appropriate other UVM buildings or relevant functions, gardens, paths, etc.)

ß Building plan (both close-up and overview)

ß Appropriate details and sections to convey information on systems,      building envelop, and qualities of interior space (eg daylighting techniques)

ß Site overlays for energy, water, waste, heating, and cooling systems or technologies, transportation, etc.

ß Other drawings or model as useful to convey design

ß Determination (thru annotation of drawings and team concept statement) of building and site materials, construction technologies, infrastructure systems, agricultural and husbandry methodologies, land usage patterns, embodied-energy savings, energy-production and consumption, etc.