
Making Permaculture Legible for All: Integrating aesthetics and education into all of your designs
During this double-header we will discuss the role of aesthetics and educational design for permaculture landscapes. Then we will head outside to practice designing a space with these considerations in mind.
With many projects, aesthetic considerations are really important. If ignored, practitioners may find that they run into problems with HOAs, neighborhood associations, local government, or unhappy neighbors. The question we intend to answer is: How can we create functional, ecological landscapes that are also appeal to mainstream aesthetics?
Creating permaculture projects that educate those who interact with them is also important. If people can see why we make the choices we make in a permaculture landscape, they are more likely to be accepting and implement specific strategies at their own homes. The question we intend to answer is: How can we create landscapes that educate those who pass through?
Both of these topics tie into the idea that we need to meet people where they are at if we want permaculture strategies to move from the fringe into the limelight. Aesthetics that people can recognize and education to improve understanding both help with this goal. They not only lead to more successful projects, but also to positive growth of the permaculture movement as a whole.
Note: This is a double-session and we will go outside for the second part. We will incorporate a break, but it may not be at the same time as the usual time between sessions.