EDI - 5 Principles of Ecological Design

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Place as form-giver. At the Ojai Foundation School, soil from the site is used for building walls.

1. SOLUTIONS GROW FROM PLACE
Ecological design begins with the intimate knowledge of a place. It is small scale and direct, responsive to local conditions and people. If we are sensitive to the nuances of place, we can inhabit without destroying.

Light as form-giver. We approach each design problem from the inside out. At Real Goods Solar Living Center, curved roof forms and clerestories distribute natural light throughout the building.

2. MAKE NATURE VISIBLE
Making natural cycles and processes visible brings the designed environment back to life. Effective design helps inform us of our place within nature.

Materials that join economy and technology. The waste stream generates new opportunities to save costs while saving the environment. Here we combine straw bale and earth building at the Real Goods Solar Living Center (right) and San Domenico School (below).

3. DESIGN WITH NATURE
By working with living processes, we respect the needs of all species. Engaging processes that regenerate rather than deplete, we become more alive. Making natural cycles and processes visible brings the designed environment back to life. Effective design helps inform us of our place within nature.

4. ECOLOGICAL ACCOUNTING INFORMS DESIGN
Trace the environmental impacts of design and use this information to determine the ecologically sound design possibilities.

Sustainable San Domenico, a K-12 ecological design education project, uses site as a textbook in developing a comprehensive curriculum connecting ecology, design and spirit.

5. EVERYONE IS A DESIGNER
Listen to every voice in the design process. As people work together to heal their places, they also heal themselves.