In 1978, Australian ecologists David Holmgren and Bill Mollison coined the concept of permaculture as a systematic method for the first time. For Mollison, "permaculture is the philosophy of working with, rather than against, nature, after long and thoughtful observation." [1] Meanwhile, Holmgren defines the term as "consciously designed landscapes that simulate or mimic the patterns and relationships observed in natural ecosystems." [2]
In 2002, Holmgren published the book "Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability," in which he defines 12 design principles that serve as a guide for creating sustainable systems. These principles can be applied to everyday processes to humanize them, enhance efficiency, and ensure mankind's long-term survival."
What if we apply them to the design process of an architectural project?
Principle 01: OBSERVE AND INTERACT
"By taking the time to engage with nature we can design solutions that suit our particular situation." - David Holmgren
According to Holmgren, the first principle is focused on observing nature to understand the elements of the system in which we are working before taking action. Attempting to genuinely engage with the situation should naturally lead to deep reflection, enabling us to provide an appropriate response.
In architecture, before beginning the design process, you need to ask yourself: What are the true needs of the project's users? What is the surrounding context? How can I best address these needs in the most efficient and appropriate way possible?
Connecting with the user and understanding the context of the project will facilitate our conscious process when engaging with the commission. We will have fewer opportunities to make erroneous assumptions and will be obliged to respect the users' pre-existing conditions and specific circumstances. A successful architecture project will result if we are attentive to the clues we are receiving.
Principle 02: CATCH AND STORE ENERGY
"By developing systems that collect resources when they are abundant, we can use them in times of need." - David Holmgren
The "green fever" that overtook architecture a few years ago is based more on sustainability associated with passive methods, aiming to achieve genuine efficiency in every possible sense. However, beyond the "sustainable techniques" that can be applied, a question relevant to this principle could be: how can we deliver the best possible architecture using the available resources, or even less?
Although architecture itself can function as a system to capture, store, and use available resources such as wind, sunlight, and rainwater, our responsibility as architects should not be limited to these methods.
We must be aware that each line we draw on our plan has an associated cost, a footprint. It makes no sense to erect large skyscrapers full of solar panels if the construction itself generates a significant waste of resources and a series of negative externalities in other areas.
Principle 03: OBTAIN A YIELD
"Ensure that you are getting truly useful rewards as part of the work that you are doing." - David Holmgren
For this principle, Holmgren asserts that "you can't work on an empty stomach," emphasizing the importance of receiving immediate rewards to sustain ourselves. He adds that the designed systems should ensure the survival of the community without compromising their future, and that productivity should be measured in terms of the tangible products resulting from the invested effort.
Beyond the fair and necessary monetary compensation we receive for our work, our performance and productivity as architects should be measurable in relation to all the positive externalities that our projects generate.
An architecture project has the ability to significantly influence the context in which it operates, and we can't afford to miss the opportunity to identify and develop its potential benefits to the fullest extent possible. A project cannot be considered sustainable if it only fills our pockets but fails to positively impact other aspects, or worse, if it harms its environment.
Principle 04: APPLY SELF-REGULATION & ACCEPT FEEDBACK
"We need to discourage inappropriate activity to ensure that systems can continue to function well." - David Holmgren
This principle is symbolized by the planet Earth, illustrating the most visible "example of a self-regulating ‘organism’ which is subject to feedback controls, like global warming." The proverb used to describe it suggests that negative feedback usually takes time to emerge, and the impact of our actions is not immediately visible.
In the case of architecture, we are generally prepared to plan our designs for the present, but we often do not consider what will happen with them in the future. This approach is understandable because our work needs to suit specific users and contexts with needs and requirements that are relevant today. How can we protect ourselves from an unpredictable and unfavorable future?
The key is to "self-regulate" what we propose, thereby discouraging, preventing, or rethinking design solutions (and/or related activities) that we can identify as inappropriate at present.
Principle 05: USE AND VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES & SERVICES
"Make the best use of nature’s abundance to reduce our consumptive behavior and dependence on non-renewable resources." - David Holmgren
For this point, the call is to "let nature take its course" to the greatest extent possible, and Holmgren gives us a somewhat extreme but clear example to understand its depth. The Argentine Permaculture Institute building was designed and constructed with straw and earth, materials that, if not maintained to allow life inside the building, will slowly return back to the earth. Its impact is minimal, and its service life is directly associated with its use.
This is a difficult principle to apply because we are accustomed to—and trained to use—materials, systems, and services based on (nonrenewable) fossil fuel processes. However, it challenges us to incorporate as many resources as possible that can be restored at a rate higher than their consumption.
Solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy, as well as biomass and biofuels, can be effective options to explore for the operation of our "off-grid" projects. Additionally, renewable materials like adobe, cork, straw, bamboo, and sustainably harvested woods can provide good alternatives if properly applied.
Principle 06: PRODUCE NO WASTE
"By valuing and making use of all the resources that are available to us, nothing goes to waste." - David Holmgren
This principle is simply based on using all the resources we have available, avoiding the waste of material. It's easy to waste when we have abundance, but what would we do if there were no warehouses filled with construction materials to build our projects?
We grew up in a profligate world, and as architects, from our first months at university, we begin to spend more than necessary. Every week, we make models and print meters of sheets of paper; expensive materials in many cases quickly end up in the trash. In professional life, the plotter is continuously hard at work, and our old models are amplified to the scale of 1:1.
Why not always design from the standard dimensions of materials to avoid waste? Is it really necessary for our project to have several excess square meters? Is that cantilever or that curved wall that forces us to spend increasingly scarce resources justified?
Principle 07: DESIGN DETAILS FROM PATTERNS
"By stepping back, we can observe patterns in nature and society. These can form the backbone of our designs, with the details filled in as we go." - David Holmgren
To explain this principle, Holmgren gives the example of the spider's web: each is unique, yet the geometric pattern of spiral rings is universal.
Should we 'reinvent the wheel' every time we undertake a new project? There are numerous operations, dimensions, and spatial configurations that are evident and effective in architecture because they stem directly from previous experience and human behavior.
If we follow these proven patterns using common sense, we establish a solid and unquestionable foundation, which can then lead to the full potential of a project through its development. The details, as part of our particular contribution, move beyond mere ornamentation to emerge as added value, supporting and giving identity and specificity to the response.
Principle 08: INTEGRATE RATHER THAN SEGREGATE
"By putting the right things in the right place, relationships develop between them and they support each other." - David Holmgren
This principle is clear, and we have all encountered it in university or in our professional lives: "many hands make light work." It is likely that working together will allow us to achieve better results because we can share strategies, compare views, and question our ideas with each other. Additionally, collaboration speeds up a process that, if done individually, could take longer, be less effective, or even result in errors. But we can go further:
Our designs can truly be integrated if all the elements that constitute them work together effectively, forming a cohesive whole where nothing is lacking and nothing is superfluous.
Moreover, it is within our control to define how the designed space will be inhabited in the future. In that sense, we can incorporate subtle operations that encourage integration among users, creating spaces for interaction and meeting that complement the essential private spaces for individual development.
Principle 09: USE SMALL AND SLOW SOLUTIONS
"Small and slow systems are easier to maintain than big ones, making better use of local resources that produce more sustainable outcomes." - David Holmgren
At this point, the concept of "maintenance" emerges as a subject far more important than it may seem, because the larger a building is, the more resources and processes are required to preserve it and prevent its decay.
If we, as architects, are truly committed to a project and its future, we will strive to design it in a way that minimizes and facilitates maintenance requirements, from its materials to the size and configuration of spaces.
A good building should demand minimal attention from its users, allowing them to carry out their activities without constantly worrying about malfunctioning systems or materials showing excessive wear.
When a project's dimensions are tailored to the real needs of the user, it becomes more efficient in its construction, requiring fewer hands and resources. Consequently, achieving thermal comfort becomes easier, facilitating the heating and cooling of interiors, and even addressing other everyday issues such as simplifying cleaning.
Principle 10: USE AND VALUE DIVERSITY
"Diversity reduces vulnerability to a variety of threats and takes advantage of the unique nature of the environment in which it resides." - David Holmgren
In this tenth principle, Holmgren says "don't put all your eggs in one basket," emphasizing that diversity "offers insurance against the variations of our environment."
If we take notice, a city comprises different types of buildings, varying in size, configuration, and orientation. Each is intended to respond to the specific conditions of its site and its users. If instead, we find neighborhoods where all houses are identical, something is amiss. Why should a house located on the main street be identical to one on a quiet side street with little activity? Why should a home that receives ample northern light be identical to one oriented toward the south? It doesn't make sense.
Diversity reflects a certain specificity in the responses that each architect has delivered, allowing each project to be designed in accordance with its surrounding circumstances.
Principle 11: USE EDGES AND VALUE THE MARGINAL
"The interface between things is where the most interesting events take place. These are often the most valuable, diverse and productive elements in the system." - David Holmgren
"Don't think you're on the right path just because everyone else used it." Holmgren is clear in stating that the most popular technique does not always align with the best approach.
This principle urges us to seize and value all opportunities that, at first glance, may not seem relevant, and to analyze the commission received with open eyes, allowing us to see beyond the obvious.
If our project appears to be heading in the wrong direction, it may be beneficial to completely change course. If there are no variables within the site aiding our design, it might be advantageous to look beyond the surrounding walls.
On the edges, by stepping outside the "norm" or adopting a decentralized perspective, a series of spontaneous situations may arise, which in most cases are correct because they occur naturally, devoid of pressure or stereotypes. Our designs should evolve in the same manner, avoiding preconceived ideas and trends that confine us to certain boundaries, as this may cause us to overlook the "key point" of the project.
Principle 12: CREATIVELY USE AND RESPOND TO CHANGE
"We can have a positive impact on inevitable change by carefully observing, and then intervening at the right time." - David Holmgren
Finally, Holmgren said that "vision is not seeing things as they are but as they will be" and that "understanding change is much more than a linear projection."
Though it is a challenging task, as architects, we must be able to envision the future. The buildings we are constructing today shape the context for other architects in the following decades, and in a way, we are determining what will continue to be used or not.
Our responsibility is to appropriately anticipate what is to come, and the best way to do this is by ensuring that each of our projects helps guide us, as human beings, towards the best possible future.
Perhaps if we follow these 12 principles, we would be closer to leaving a good legacy. It's just common sense.
* The 12 principles published here are explained in detail in the book Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability, by David Holmgren.
[1] Bill Mollison; Introduction to Permaculture (Second Revised Edition, 2002)
[2] About Permaculture / Holmgren.com.au.
