Design Process
A design process is a way of approaching a subject of design
with an open mind, seeking the best arrangement of elements to
satisfy a set of given conditions. A permaculture design process
will emphasize that knowledge of the site, of the user's needs,
and the designer's ethic are significant to making design decisions.
The design "problem" is that of bringing site and user
needs into a harmonious, productive and sustainable arrangement.
We understand that both site and client are providing us with
clues to such a resolution.
For most designs, the site is a basic point of reference and it
has intrinsic characteristics that offer guidance. We must consider
its geographical context and existing features. Location, orientation,
slope, drainage, wind, vegetation, history and access must be
considered. We may be looking for particular elements on the site
we would like to feature as site themes and for aspects of the
site that may present problems to us. In any case, a permaculture
site is not a neutral element but a landscape with a story waiting
to be revealed.
Our second point of reference in a design must be the user. Users
have certain needs that may need to be met by the site. An analysis
of the user's intrinsic characteristics, needs, and products and
behaviors will help us to understand how well site and user match.
Seldom will we find a perfect match between site conditions and
user needs, so the designer will be in a position of having to
adjust site or program to get the most suitable match possible.
A helpful approach is to identify user "themes" that
are to be developed in the design.
The designer is not a fully neutral party to the design. The designer
brings to a project his/her training, work and life experiences
and a philosophy that will guide decisions made. The role of the
designer may vary from project to project. In some cases the designer
may be in control of many design decisions and in other cases
may just be assisting the client in technical or construction
matters. The designer's work will be improved by having a design
approach that can be articulated for the understanding of all
involved.
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from: Permaculture, pg. 37 |
