ECOVILLAGE FINDHORN, SCOTLAND Scott Margeson Nayeli Rodriguez Sept. 2018
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ECOVILLAGEFINDHORN, SCOTLAND
Scott MargesonNayeli Rodriguez
Sept. 2018
IDEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND
The New Findhorn Association was created in 1999 to bring together the diverse organisations and people associated with the community within a 50 mile radius.
Ecovillages address the need for participation in human-scale communities while nurturing and protecting the natural environment (“a commitment to ‘living lightly on the Earth”)
Working with the simple principle of not taking more away from the Earth than one gives back, ecovillages consciously work towards progressively reducing their ecological footprint.
ECONOMY & COMMUNITY
The project supports approximately 300 jobs in the Findhorn/Forres area and provides a total aggregate economic impact in excess of £5 million per annum in the Highlands of Scotland as a whole.
Since 2002 a local currency has been in operation, launched by Ekopia, the community’s development trust. There are roughly £20,000 of notes in circulation and issuing them has enabled Ekopia to make low interest loans and donations to support various initiatives, like the Wind Farm which makes Findhorn to be a net exporter of energy.
URBAN CONTEXT
UNIT TO WHOLE
The association has an annually elected voluntary council and employs two Listener Conveners whose job is to take the pulse of the community, welcome new members, support organisations and businesses, empower grassroots members to take new initiatives and facilitate communication across the community.
The Listener Conveners and council organise monthly community meetings to decide upon community-wide issues.
The NFA is a founder of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), a non-profit organisation that links together autonomous ecovillages.
EXPRESSION AND IDENTITY
There is a statement of core values for the Ecovillage and its associated community called ‘Common Ground’ but other than affirming a commitment to “active spiritual practice” it concentrates largely on preferred interpersonal behaviours rather than prescribing a spiritual philosophy.
Spiritual PracticeServicePersonal GrowthIntegrityRespecting OthersDirect CommunicationReflectionFeedbackNonviolencePerspectiveCooperationPeacekeepingAgreementsCommitment
COLLECTIVE AT THE COMMUNITY SCALE
The first new dwelling to be constructed at the Ecovillage was a small house in the round made from a recycled whiskey barrel. The idea was later developed and several buildings on this theme were constructed. Other innovative styles include a strawbale house.
Over fifty new houses have now been constructed, with emphasis on ecologically friendly building codes and materials as opposed to aesthetic consistency.
The plots are roughly equal in size and evenly distributed; there is no obvious centralization.
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The plan at right shows evidence of Findhorn’s collective-oriented political philosophy. The plots are roughly equal in size and evenly distributed; there is no obvious centralization.
INDIVIDUAL AT THE BUILDING SCALE
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However, the actual buildings are radically individualized. To live here, you must join the community, accepting its ecological and social guidelines. But as long as you meet those guidelines, you can innovate and customize as much as you wish.
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Some architectural similarities are apparent: green roofs, heat saving materials
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Another common theme
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Even when the architecture is uniform, the spaces remain individual.
5 metersFindhorn EcoVillage, ScotlandDiagram by: Scott Margeson
The architecture and urban design of Findhorn re�ects the community’s twin philosophies of collective identity and individual freedom. This scale cross-section illustrates a winding walk through a range of design solutions, from the large community auditorium at the left, through a series of shared open spaces, and ending with a family sized living unit at the right.
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