The following is a outline of my starting point in defining my final year studio proposal;
A few of my ideas leading to this proposal were along the lines of 'architecture of place', 'responding/learning from nature', 'improving life' & 'challenging the norm's of sustainability';-
These concepts led me to a theoretical idea of urbanisation in the trees...
Is it feasable that, a community similar to the suburban communities that sprawl across Sydney, could have been established without clearing the natural landscape? Could infrastructure, community and all the needs of a community co-exist within the native Australian context?
Normally the idea of "going back to nature", living in the bush etc, etc, means the discarding of technology... What if the idea was approached with the embrace of it?
Precedents that come to mind are the contemporary 'tree houses' of architecture slung between trees. These buildings tend to be isolated and one-off's. Could an entire society (and in theory an entire sub-urban city) build upon these ideas?
Could the use of technology assist in establishing these communities successfully off the grid, self sufficient and at the same time maintaining and preserving the natural flaura and fauna. Is it conceivable that there might actually be a way for city and nature to co-exist??
I can already recognise the problems would be complex & numerous such as fire-safety, amenity, social issues, infrastructure, construction, etc. But I think this would be a project that would keep me on my toes and have some really cool potential solutions. It could also include the consulting of wildlife specialists, fire fighting specialists, arborists and others.
