The first house in Serenbe was built 15 years ago, and today, this modern green “Utopia†is still alive and well, a home of more than 600 people. Located in the south of Atlanta, USA, the community is a tentative green community designed by architect Phill Tabb, whose home is a “zero carbon house†in the community. This community, hidden in thousands of acres of natural forest vegetation, was founded with four main elements – art, farming, health and education.
The founders, Steve and Marie, started out thinking about simple life without too much economic pressure. They believe, “If you want to change the world, start with your own backyard.†In the 1990s, they discovered the forest in a suburban trip with their daughter. After many visits, they gradually changed the life of a family. .
Their family likes to exercise in the outdoors, and when they run, they see the familiar forest being cut down, just because the developers need to build more houses there. This has led to reflection – is urban construction destined to be based on the destruction of nature? And such reflection is the foundation of community design.
A few years later, they sold their house in Atlanta and moved to the country. It was not enough to change only one's own life. In order to protect the surrounding forest from urban development, Steve and Marie decided to buy the land and develop it into a green community.
In 2001, architect Phill made a master plan for the Serenbe community – a sustainable community in a natural landscape without losing the convenience of the city.
An important point in planning is to protect the existing forest environment. Therefore, the location of the house construction is comprehensively considered, closely arranged along the winding road, integrated into the undulating terrain, which not only reduces the impact on the environment, but also allows the residents to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Usually, communities in the suburbs of the United States will build private gardens around each household, which will take up a large area of ​​land, but in Serenbe, private gardens are small or even omitted, and the farms and forests shared by the community are abundant. . In this way, the total area of ​​the community houses and roads (the area of ​​the hardened land) is as small as possible, and as much as possible to leave more land to nature.
This is not only to protect nature, but also for people's own health. The designer believes, “In modern times, we need nature more than ever. We need fresh air and fresh food. We need trees and weeds around us. We need a place to grow and recover, a place to breed and everything. The place to contact."
Almost all houses in the community are closely adjacent to the forest. The well-built lawns that are found everywhere in the United States are not advocated here and are replaced by “eatable landscapesâ€. Planting vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees is a much more green way to grow than a lawn.
In winter, every household will use geothermal heat. Most households have grey water treatment systems. There is also an ecological wetland shared by the community. Plants are used to purify the grey water and the purified water is used to irrigate the green space.
The community has 25 acres of certified organic farms offering more than 300 fruits and vegetables, vanilla and flowers. The farm's products are not only directly purchased by residents, but also provided to several eco-restaurants in the community.
For example, the Blue Eyed Daisy restaurant is one of the smallest green buildings in the United States to receive LEED Silver certification.
From May to October, an organic farmer's market is held every Saturday at the community center. Edible landscapes are also one of the food sources of people – more than 70% of the green plants planted here are edible.
Steve believes that each of us needs to be closer to the source of our food, and closer to the farmers who grow the food. Eating such foods is not just nourishing the body, it is also nourishing the soul. Because people know that their familiar neighborhood friends are helping their own farmland and cooking dishes.
Walking is encouraged here, and there is a complete, cement-free trail network between the various parts of the community, making walking more convenient and attractive than driving. An elderly resident, Gwen Bullock, said in an interview, "Walk in the forest and let yourself indulge in it. This is what I did when I was a little girl. (Before moving in) I didn't realize it. How much I missed because I have never been exposed to such a community before."
The community is divided into several “small villages†with different characteristics. For example, the village of Selbourne is characterized by art, performance and food. The Grange village is adjacent to the organic farm. There are health centres, hotels and other community activity centres in the Mado village. Not all villages are built once, but gradually, and each new construction is more sustainable than before. For example, the village of Grange has the first batch of completely “off-gridâ€, energy-sufficient houses (using geothermal and solar) in the community, and such designs are more commonly used in subsequent construction.
Today, more than 600 people live in this community. Although they don't live in cities, they also have schools, restaurants, shops, cafes, hospitals... Better than the city, they can easily participate in a variety of activities at home, including outdoor theaters, cooking workshops, Music festivals, speeches and sharing sessions, boutique fairs, art exhibitions, etc. The community website regularly updates the event preview and also offers online ticket purchases.
The event is also open to people outside the community, such as a featured event called “Green Building and Responsibility Design Guideâ€, once a month, led by community founder Steve.
Another idea of ​​the designer is that this is not to become a “nursing†community, because the lack of communication with other age groups is not good for the elderly. Residents of different ages and backgrounds live in harmony here. The shared office shared by the community, as well as the pool, vegetable garden, fitness center, etc., are the basis for attracting residents of different ages and strengthening the connection between people.
The first reaction of many visitors was, “Is it true? How did you do it?†Seeing such amazement, Steve thinks “the green community is so rare, what a regrettable thing!†He hopes that Serenbe's lifestyle will become more and more everyday. He is also providing guidance to other community planners to help more people integrate nature conservation with quality living.
(Reference source: Daily Mail, Serenbe official website)
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