Experiment in Urban Chickens

I've posted before about the preponderance of urban chickens (especially in Portland) - and I just had to share the plans we have for our deluxe urban eco-coop in the back yard... (now if I could just register for LEED with this... :) I'll post some progress pics as is goes together... for now some Sketchup.










:: images via L+U

While Sketchup is great for visualization, it was actually a great exercise to build this - every stick is accounted for, and generate a materials list - definitely a good way to try out the design and some of the framing, materials, and color beforehand... as well as the spatial arrangement for the chicken abode.






:: images via L+U

Bad Idea of the Week

This one from Treehugger made me question what the actual point of this exercise was in the grand scheme of landscape and furnishings... "Michel Bussien has designed a new way to help you get up close and personal with nature--by turning it into furniture. The "Growing Chair" shown is a sharply designed mold that allows you to turn greenery into a chic seat."


:: image via Treehugger

There's an interesting history of integrated furnishings and literally bending plants to our will to create structures and furnishings. This seems like torture for the plants to fill the lucite containers, offering nothing good for the plant and little for us in these clear prisons of furnishings. Maybe you can read more from Treehugger and the designer and decide for yourself how you feel. I'm not buying it..


:: image via Treehugger

Pringle Creek + the Gravel Verge

Building on some recent posts on the SEA streets in Seattle, and Crown Street in Vancouver, BC, a few images of Pringle Creek - the uber sustainable community in Salem, Oregon. A significant feature is the use of the gravel verges - popularized by Patrick Condon these curbless sections allow infiltration on the edges of streets, as well as reducing construction costs.


:: Site Plan - image via Jetson Green

From their site: "Pringle Creek Community in Salem has one of the largest installations of pervious asphalt in the country. The green streets are narrower than conventional streets, using less materials to build and calming traffic. They have no curbs, which reduces construction costs and allows vegetated swales to capture, absorb and clean stormwater runoff."


:: image via GreenWorks


:: image via Pringle Creek

The use of permeable asphalt and curb bulb-outs is sort of a belt and suspenders approach, but together creates a very unique environment and aids in traffic calming and the ability to manage greater amounts of stormwater runoff (and look, sidewalks!) It will be interesting to see how the permeability holds up during construction of the houses, which is slowly happening over time... slowly.




:: images via GreenWorks

Another aspect of the community was the ability to route roadways, and limit impacts to existing large trees, giving a feel of a much more established community. And the rain gardens are waiting patiently for new residents to enjoy them.




:: images via GreenWorks

It's definitely telling to see the interface with the porous and non-porous surfaces, here at one of the site entries. Also a quick video showing the performance of the permeable asphalt pavement. (both via the Pringle Creek Blog)


:: image via Pringle Creek Blog