Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

8

Dear Forum

I work with architects and property developers, mainly taking ideas and presenting them as images or video even. A while ago I started communicating with a London based firm who took an interest in one my own ideas. The project has since been on hold, simply because I have been otherwise occupied.

Principally the idea behind the project was to develop spaces relating to what would be a natural human environment, but at the same time respecting the modern. This is an example of another scheme that I had started developing as an idea only:

alt text

Very important ideas within this project were water, light, communal spaces and relax spaces. This was on an individual scale, the idea was to expand on these ideas and make it into a sort of retreat where say 20-30 people could be invited.
Perhaps from which Movnat-like or Cross fit courses could be run. I take alot of reference from this video of a Movnat workshop in Thailand.

We had been looking principally at Brazil, Ecuador or Costa Rica to develop the project, places of extreme beauty with both mountain and sea close; with consistent climate. I am very much interested in sustainable architecture, using the local resources.

alt text Tabascón, Costa Rica

alt text Los Frailes, Ecuador

alt text Limon, Costa Rica

alt text Montañita, Ecuador

There are several other ideas that I am looking into incorporating into the project, for instance, an orchard, livestock etc... Anyway, really I am looking for input, ideas. What is a paleo space? If anyone thinks they have anything they can offer me, any references, I would be extremely grateful. I need to put together a kick ass presentation. Thanks in advance!

edit to the project:

apart from the basic idea of making water / light / mixed indoor outdoor spaces important to the design: adding:

A communal fire place
Standing workspaces
Squatting toilets
natural / local materials An emphasis on recycled materials or even entire buildings

thank you everyone for the input, I am happy to hear any more ideas thanks again...

edited Feb 15 2011 at 21:50

asked Feb 2 2011 at 9:12

oliverh
1,137●6●17

are the images I put in there visible? here is a link to the scheme I am referencing in the first case flickr.com/photos/_oliverh_/sets/… – oliverh Feb 2 2011 at 9:29

Pieter D · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-02 11:00:38Z UTC

2

Oliver,

You have probably heard of these, but I find the 'green school' in Bali very nice!

alt text

More information on www.greenschool.org

I also like the concept, although it may there could be a bit too much wishful thinking...

answered Feb 2 2011 at 11:00

Pieter D
11.4k●2●20●50

	did the guy that did that do a lecture on TED? I seem to remember seeing something similar. It's excellent though! right lines, thanks Pieter – oliverh Feb 2 2011 at 11:05
	It is from that guy that did a TED talk. – Pieter D Feb 2 2011 at 12:18
	That's awesome! – justanotherhunt Feb 12 2011 at 21:33

saiklón · Answer 2 · 2011-02-12 16:41:11Z UTC

In my mind... it would have to incorporate open space, wood/stone floors, plants, water, fire... use stone and wood where you can rather than metal and plastic (appliances should be brushed metal I suppose). Also, dead animals might work, but they would have to be done very tastefully, something like a kudu horn on a over a fireplace (although I wouldn't appreciate it unless it was something I acquired myself). I say water and fire because both were very central to paleo life. Paleo man would have stayed near water out of necessity which is probably why the sound of flowing water is so beautiful to us. Fire, some argue, is what made us human in the first place. A large slow fan for a steady but subtle breeze. A nice view if possible or at least a view of a garden or something. Furniture would use organic materials, possibly from animals if done elegantly.

I might edit this later, I just wanted to get some ideas down.

sola · Answer 3 · 2011-02-13 04:25:43Z UTC

PERMACULTURE DESIGN.

From wikipedia: "Permaculture is an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic the relationships found in natural ecologies."

From Bill Mollison, a founder of permaculture: "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system. Permaculture is the study of the design of those sustainable or enduring systems that support human society, both agricultural & intellectual, traditional & scientific, architectural, financial & legal. It is the study of integrated systems, for the purpose of better design & application of such systems."

That's just what I immediately thought of upon reading your post. Look up permaculture, if it sounds interesting to you... it's illuminating and inspiring! (And it's what I am studying...)

Patrik · Answer 4 · 2011-02-02 09:24:15Z UTC

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Oliverh,

For inspiration, look at Komar and Melamid's "Most Wanted" Paintings. They surveyed what people wanted to see or not see in paintings and accidentally uncovered human preferences built not by culture, but by evolution.

http://awp.diaart.org/km/painting.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komar_and_Melamid

answered Feb 2 2011 at 9:24

Patrik♦♦
12.1k●4●29●81

	well thank you for the suggestion Patrik, I am not sure I really understand their conclusions though. I think this is similar: ted.com/talks/… – oliverh Feb 2 2011 at 9:46
	Patrick, the paintings link was fascinating. The most wanted paintings being with water/ocean/family/friends/animals; a natural landscape. The most popular paintings were all so similar, but the least favorite were all a mish-mash of nothing-ness. – FanOfSunshine Feb 12 2011 at 17:29

aek · Answer 5 · 2011-02-12 20:49:51Z UTC

0

I'm unclear: are you looking for Paleo lifestyle re-creation? Or spaces which incorporate hunter gatherer behavior? Something else?

The Graduate School of Design at Harvard University focuses on some of what you mentioned in your question. It might be a resource for you:

"Social Agency: addressing challenges of social and economic development, disaster relief, and anticipatory planning and design

Responsive Environments: exploring increased interaction between design and inhabitation at different scales

New Geographies: addressing emerging larger-scale design questions around the relationship between the built environment and physical geography

Sustainability in Design: interfacing between new scientific research on sustainability and design"

http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/research/index.html

answered Feb 12 2011 at 20:49

aek
579●2●13

	"are you looking for Paleo lifestyle re-creation?": Not really paleo lifestyle recreation, just creating an ambience that takes reference from the hunter gatherer lifestyle, if we aren't evolved to eat modern foods, we probably aren't evolved to be in the human zoo either. Saiklón suggests having a fireplace to gather round in a communal space - which was good; I will look into the references you have given me, thank you. – oliverh Feb 13 2011 at 7:12
	That helps - thanks. Then I'll add my >02: I would look to frontier style farm and ranchhouses for some inspiration. Those almost always had keeping rooms. That was the main space where people "gathered", cooking, eating, socializing, preserving and preparing foods, spinning, tool repair and crafting all took place (not to mention raising newborn livestock, such as chicks, lambs, calves and kids when needed). – aek Feb 13 2011 at 12:58
	Part two of my comment: As far as I've seen, keeping rooms are pretty universal across cultures, and they feature a heating/cooking source, such as a fireplace or stove, as well as open and flexible seating. They all had windows in keeping with their building periods, so I would exploit that as the "window" by which to commune with nature features. This is lots of fun. Good luck with your project, and thanks for tolerating my musings. – aek Feb 13 2011 at 12:58
	everything helps, so thank you, ranch houses sounds like a good one, yes, I was somehow thinking of incorporating livestock and orchards into the project - although I would be careful about what was farmed. I will look into these ranch houses, flexible open interiors, yes sounds good.. Thanks again – oliverh Feb 13 2011 at 15:27

Paleo Spaces Project

5 Answers