Abstract
In recent years, intentional communities have gained popularity as an alternative to the fast-paced and often unsustainable lifestyle of industrialized cities. These communities are built around a shared set of values and have organizational principles, which often include a deep appreciation, sometimes spiritual in expression, for the natural environment and a desire to live in harmony with it. However, the ways in which these communities self-govern and embody these values are not well explored nor understood. In this research and through case studies adopting sensory ethnology, and with reference to the work of Sarah Pink, I explore the foundational ideas of such intentional communities across the world, including amongst others: Findhorn, and the Earthship community of New Mexico. Visiting a variety of intentional communities and observing how members interact with their built and natural environments and each other, paying particular attention to how they use their senses to navigate and make sense of their surroundings I explore a shared sensibility. Through this research, I elaborate on a deeper understanding of how intentional communities govern themselves in relation to different values and how these values manifest in the designed and built environment. I examine the glue that holds the communities together. This research has the potential to shed new light on the ways in which humans can create more sustainable and fulfilling ways of living together and hold we can design in recognition of new sensibilities.
Presenters
Andrea WheelerAssociate Professor, Architecture, Iowa State University, Iowa, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Architectonic, Spatial, and Environmental Design
KEYWORDS
Ethnography,architecture,intentional,community,sustainable,biophilia
