RETROFIT OF A FUTURE SUBURBAN BLOCK
No. 4
David Holmgren | Hepburn, Australia
The catalyst has been the sale of the house second from left to an energetic young couple determined to 'future-proof' themselves for the energy descent… [u]sing permaculture principles, they have restructured their entire property, including its front garden, as an integrated food production system. Seeing this exciting new development on the other side of the fence, the empty-nest baby boomers in the property third from left have aborted their migration to Queensland and restructured their home and lifestyles along lines compatible with the initiatives of their neighbours. They have extended their home with an eco-addition and increased its occupancy with an additional family member plus a young boarder. The 1970s games room has been returned to its original purpose to house their son's small metal-working business. The fence between the two properties has been removed to allow the land of both blocks to be farmed co-operatively for the benefit of all the occupants. Shared water management facilities, including rainwater collection and greywater treatment, have been implemented, and productive fruit trees have been planted on the nature strip in front of both houses.
Seeing all these successful communal activities going on next door, the property owners on the left- and right-hand ends of the row are now looking for ways to contribute. The elderly couple on the left need home help (an opportunity for one of the young mothers) in exchange for use of their extensive back yard to expand the co-operative CSA vegetable box garden.
While the development and neighbours on the right may be slower and more difficult to connect, they have offered their unused back and front gardens to extend the farming system in return for a share of the produce. One of the teenagers is training to help in the metal-working enterprise, and the stormwater detention tank will shortly be refitted as part of the communal water management system.