Cal Earth Vault Village Assessment and Conceptual Design

Prepared By: Mary Kate Carter, Doug Alber, Crystal Torres, & Cathy Makunga

October 18, 2013

Vision for the Property & Design;As shared by Hooman Fazly. The permaculture design that follows addresses these objectives.

Provide Housing for up to 15 Students Dormitories

N/W Vault to house 3 students Southern Vault to house 12 students

Full bathroom facilities Kitchen Common living space Create outdoor group gathering and individual

contemplative space

Provide designated vault for hands-on workshops and/or lecture space

Manage potential black-water (i.e. grease/degreaser)

Ensure easy access from the west and the south for people & equipment

Maintain good ventilation of building Ensure appropriate vehicle access to area

Install plants that are relatively maintenance free:

Grow with little or no attendance Hearty & perennial Readily edible Students can harvest yields when on campus

Re-Vegetate Landscape:

Create a denser plant environment Use plants that are native to landscape Work within existing desert habitat

Protected plant species cannot be disturbed

Use Water Beneficially

Black-water systems Potentially homemade septic system Plan for 30’ leech line placement

Grey-water systems Use water on the landscape

Employ proper drainage for landscape and excavation pit Establish water catchment within “village” & along the

fence Prepare for occasional large flooding phenomenon

Design Retaining Wall Non-linear Stack functions Interact with existing habitat Create micro-environments for humans & plants

The Assessment

Description of Property and Area Property is located in Hesperia, CA - San Bernadino County Building site approximately 22,500 sq ft. Elevation 3700 ft Long/Lat. -- Coordinates: 34°24′46″N 117°18′22″W Annual Rainfall is approximately 6” Wide swing in temperatures: summer high of 101 and down

to low 30’s in the winter months Dominant Wind Directions are from the North/West during the

winter and from the South/West during the summer months

Topography:

Google Earth map elevation features identified that the land has only a very slight slope (2%);

Moving from SW to NE with a total drop in elevation of 6ft from corner to corner (600ft run)

Excavation will introduce a cavity that drops courtyard to 5ft below current grade

Soils: The predominant soil classification is Cajon Sand. Soil has a high drainage

rate of 13in/hour. Organic matter is virtually non-existent. Therefore conditioning with organic matter and holding water on the land will be necessary to produce healthy plants and good yields.

Organic Matter (%) Percent Clay Percent Sand Ksat (mm/hr) pH (1:1 H2O) Kf Factor

EC (dS/m) SAR CaC03 (%) Gypsum (%) CEC at pH7 (cmol +

/kg soil) Linear Extensibility

(%)

Design

Initial Layout Design

Early Design Strategies

Hold water on the landscape Solutions for retaining wall Maximize edge zones Create learning environments & Build community

among residents Build density of native landscape & introduce

compatible vegetation Slow and Steady Solutions Low maintenance design

Vault Village Design

Hold Water on Landscape

Put in porous pavement on west and southern paths to village along with installation of French drains

Capture rain drainage from vaults and direct to water holding areas

Route vault 1 dormitory greywater to reed planters then onto northern landscape

Route vault 3 dormitory greywater to mulberry food forest to the south

Put in dry wells on SW corner and NE corners of village Put in swale on contour along Northern fence Install drainage tubes through retaining wall at critical spots

Water Management

Solutions for Retaining Wall

Build in water containment & treatment

Double helix – organically inspired design that will allow for installation of planters, intimate/contemplative seating areas, & stairs for access to higher elevation

Maximize edge zones – life flourishes

Arch shaped windows on upper margin of wall to provide a “rabbit view” of landscape and provide access zones for wildlife traffic

Create learning environments & Build community among residents

Amphitheater seating for gathering Dedicated classroom vault Communal living spaces Micro-food forest in existing rest area

Workshop Vault Door

Build density of native landscape & introduce compatible vegetation Existing native plants will be relocated along northern

& eastern fences during the excavation process Plant additional trees/guilds suitable to desert

environment to support water retention Create perennial food forest within established &

productive micro-climate on western corridor of village Organic form of wall works with existing & protected

vegetation allowing for experimental permaculture landscaping options

Compatible Plants:Northern CorridorHoney Mesquite

Compatible Plants: Eastern CorridorBanana Yucca

Compatible PlantsEastern CorridorPomegranate

Compatible Plants:Southern CorridorMulberry

Compatible PlantsFood Forest

Ground Cherry Grapes Jerusalem Artichokes Rosemary Bramble

Design it to be low maintenance

All watering through passive systems Gravity & Rain Greywater diversion

Perennial plants Passive solar heating and ventilation

Slow and Steady Solutions

Phased building plan may extend over several seasons

Students will contribute to building structures and planting landscape

Continued observation of plant vitality & integration w/landscape

Observe effect of new micro-climates

Vault Village Design