PowerPoint Presentation Unity at the edge: constellating sustainable urbanism

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TRACK II - APPLICATIONS

Phillip J. Tabb, AIA, PhD
Professor of Architecture
Fellow of the Sustainable Urbanism Certificate
Program Texas AM
University
At the Edge
Constellating Sustainable Urbanism
SERENBE COMMUNITY
ICSU College Station, Texas 2007
International Conference for Sustainable Urbanism
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Serenbe Community
CONTENTS
a little background guiding principles chattahooch
ee hill country serenbe masterplan hamlet omega
form architecturalizing the plan construction and
materialization some concluding thoughts
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Peter Rickaby, PhD
Serenbe Community
ENERGY PLANNING
Dr. Susan Owens
Issues of Growth
Issues with Multiple Buildings
Nucleation Configuration
Densification Orientation
Mix uses On-site resources
Preservation
Issues of Sustainable Urbanism
Titchfield Village, UK
Issues of Built Form and Interspersion of
Activities

Town of Seaside, Florida
Issues with the New Urbanism
Issues of Village Form
Issues of Solar Access and Density
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Serenbe Community
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Serenbe Community
INFORMING CONCEPTS
The informing concepts are intended to create a
set of goals and implementation strategies at
various levels of settlement development.
PASSAGE and THRESHOLDS - Community bounding in
encouraged to be regulated by passages of open
circulation systems and thresholds of dispersion
to set up an interactive pattern of exchange
between inside and out. DOMAIN SPATIAL ORDER -
The domain can be ordered by a system of spatial
structures, which are the generative ordering
forms within the enclosure that include geometric
systems of circulation and landuse for social
institutions, commercial activities, with
residential districts and units. SUSTAINABLE
BUILDING TYPOLOGIES - This leading concept
promotes the use of varying building types,
densities of built form, and material concepts
that support green building and give meaning to a
variable community architectural language.
GROUNDING - Being connected to a space, forming a
specific point of reference, deepening into a
sense of being or presence, and relating to the
special features of the place, is the phenomena
of grounding. COUNTER ACTING TRANSECTS - From
the center, which epitomizes that which is known
and celebrated, to the edge, where nature and the
unknown form an enormous expanse, is the
transitional context of our dwelling. OPEN
BOUNDING - Open bounding is regulated by open
systems and experimental development structures,
which are not totally planned and can preserve a
potential for change in time. The boundaries are
permeable, interactive and can always be
re-defined.

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Serenbe Community
INFORMING CONCEPTS
DIVERSITY and INDIVIDUALITY - This leading
concept relates to the variability of planning
measures and architectural forms and the ways
these effect the consequent use and plurality of
lifestyles. AUTHENTICITY and MATERIALITY - The
relation of authenticity to design is considered
through the honesty and the hardiness of rural
architecture and the fact that it should emerge
from real and pragmatic considerations that are
unlike the suburban and new urban, which seems to
copy and be a mixture of old, outdated languages.
RESIDUAL SPACE USE - This includes a high
amount of land preservation and the creative
utilization of residual, infill, in-between and
left over space, which are important in adding
further diversity, utility and use within the
network fabric of a place.
CRITICAL MULTIPLICATION - Growth evolves to an
optimal size, density, and set of internal land
uses that are relatively sustainable according to
the laws of critical mass of a given population
and allowable area of land. Then it
reproduces. CONNECTIVITY - Continuity and
connectivity introduce the means by which
individual settlements interact both ecologically
and systematically with webs of multiple modes of
movement/circulation. CONSTELLATING URBANISM -
The multiplication of settlement structures
afford an opportunity to create sustainable
between-place measures, which can take on a
higher order unity that is supported by greater
levels of intermodal connectedness, functional
diversity, and meaning. Here the constellation
becomes community.
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SOUTH FULTON COUNTY
Serenbe Community
Nearly every large metropolitan area had more
people move out than move in from 2000 to 2004,
with a few exceptions in the South and
Southwest. - Census Bureau 2006
With 4.1 million residents in Atlanta, the
sprawl settlement pattern into surrounding
counties has been threatening the remains of
Atlanta's rural land for decades. Most of the
surrounding land encircling Atlanta has now been
developed, except for a southwestern strip, which
includes most of South Fulton County. This
area of land covers approximately 125,000 acres
(50,000 hectares), the size of Napa Valley, and
is bounded by Interstate Highway 85 and the
Chattahoochee River.
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Serenbe Community
CHATTAHOOCHEE HILL COUNTRY
The Chattahoochee Hill Country is ringed with
scenic roads, which now are protected
by county zoning ordinances.
Rural architecture can still be experienced in
this remarkable landscape.
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Serenbe Community
CHATTAHOOCHEE HILL COUNTRY
Three Villages (6,000-10,000 dus/ea at a
density of 14 du/ac)
West Village
North Village
South Fulton Parkway
Small Farmsteads and/or Ranches
South Fulton Parkway
South Village
Phase I
Phase V
Phase VI
Phase II
Palmetto
Phase IV
Phase III
Phase VII
Serenbe West
Serenbe East
Serenbe Community (900 ac network development)
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Serenbe Community
Masterplan for the Serenbe Community
Nucleation Configuration
Densification Orientation
Mix uses On-site resources
Preservation
Selborne Village, Hampshire, England
Seven planning charrettes were organized over a
six-year period between September 2000 and August
2006 using a unique middle-out design process.

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SERENBE PLAN
Serenbe Community
The existing Serenbe Bed Breakfast
Settlement Site Locational Analysis
RIDGE
HIGHER GOUND
900 acres
BOWL
HIGHER GOUND
VALLEY
VALLEY
HILL
HILL
The Higher Elevations

The rolling hills and valleys form the context
for the land to be preserved and the location of
land to be urbanized. Development generally
follows common contours that create an interface
between the hillier portions and the lower
streams and wetlands.
RIDGE
VALLEY
RIDGE
The Lower Elevations
VALLEY
Higher Elevations
Lower Elevations
VALLEY
Stream
HILL
HIGHER GOUND
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Charrette Drawing 05/2002
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SERENBE PLAN
Serenbe Community
BED AND BREAKFAST
Settlement Development Sites
HILL VILLAGE
Phase I
Phase IV
ARTIST HAMLET
FARMERS MARKET
Farmstead
Serenbe Bed Breakfast
Phase I
CROSSROADS
The scheme locates four hamlets and several
crossroads clusters at sites where the
orienta- tion and contours are favorable for
views, solar access, centralized natural
features, and a sense of place. This plan
accommodates approximately 600-700 dwelling units
on less than 20 of the land.
CROSSROADS
Phase II
Farm
Phase III
FARM HAMLET
The Artist Hamlet
HEALTH and WELLNESS HAMLET
Farmstead
Openspace
Recycling
Urbanized areas low intensity
Urbanized areas higher intensity
ESTATE HOMES
Concentration of Non-Residential
ICSU 2007
Charrette Drawing 05/2002
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SERENBE PLAN
Serenbe Community
Farm Animals
Interstitial or Residual Sites and Functions
Archeological Site
Hill Temple
Outdoor Pavilion
Wild- Flower Meadow
Hamlet Green
Labyrinth
Pond
Community Place
Chapel
Waterfall
Tree House
Bonfire Site
Wildflower Meadow
Stables Arena
The scheme also connects the developed portions
of the plan to sacred, special, natural and farm
sites found within the residual areas of the
overall plan.
Gazebo
Flower Hill
Vesica Pond
Rock Garden
Waterfall
Waterfall
Special sites
Pond
Archeological Site
Sacred Site
Amphitheater
Sacred sites
Natural sites
Cedar Creek Wetlands
Small farm sites
Major water features
Cemetery
Archeological Site
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Charrette Drawing 05/2002
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SERENBE PLAN
Serenbe Community
900 acres
Connections
HILL VILLAGE
Sacred Site
Higher order unity called Serenbe
Labyrinth
Connected by roads Connected by walking
paths Connected by trails Connected by bridle
paths Connected by greenways
HAMLET
ARTIST HAMLET
Chapel
FARMERS MARKET
constellating urbanism
Farmstead
CROSSROADS HAMLET
Bonfire Site
HAMLET
HAMLET
The scheme relates the four hamlets and
cross-roads clusters through multi-modal
connections.
Flower Hill
Farm
Second Growth Forest
FARM HAMLET
Nodes
HEALTH and WELLNESS HAMLET
Links
Farmstead
Sacred Site
Connected by greenways.
Recycling
ESTATE HOMES
Connected by bridle paths.
Walking on connecting paths.
Cemetery
Connected by roads.
Connected by trails.
ICSU 2007
Charrette Drawing 05/2002
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Serenbe Community
PLACE GEOMETRY
Artist Hamlet
Axis that connect. Shapes that emplace. Points
that become special.
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RETREAT
OMEGA LOOP ROAD
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KILN
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Equilateral triangle
Constructed July 2003
LABYRINTH
Overlapping geometry connecting key
community events.
Fibonacci kite
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ARTIST
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HAMLET
GEOMETRY
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BRIDGE
The center of the labyrinth
Vesica Pisces
CHAPEL
The threshold from forest to labyrinth
Threshold stone into labyrinth center
Geometric interface
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Serenbe Community
The Hamlet Designs
The omega is a symbol for the last letter (24) of
the Greek alphabet and means the completion of a
sequence. It also suggests the volume of an
object and the containment with an open loop
system.
urban intensity
sense of place
interaction with nature
open loop connections on parallel contours
Conceptual Omega Form
Zenith
Closing in Sense of place

Center
Opening out
Nature
Omega Geometry
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SERENBE HAMLETS
Serenbe Community
The Farm Hamlet forms a a transition of small
farmsteads, and a focus of this hamlet is a
riding stable and farmers market.
The Artist Hamlet is composed of artist retreats
and school for visiting artists.
Artist Hamlet looking from NE
Reservoir at Farm Hamlet
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The Hill Village has two omega forms and a medium
density crescent, which come together in the
center.
The Health and Well-ness Hamlet is isolated and
its focus is healing with greenhouses, spas and
healing gardens.
TAMU Student model 2006
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Serenbe Farms
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Serenbe Community
Phases I II

• WATER-WASTE SYSTEM - Through the center of each
  omega-cluster, runs an open space with a small
  stream and set of ponds. This key open space is
  designed to provide a pleasant space for
  recreation as well as being planned to
  incorporate water-waste system originally
  developed by Dr. John Todd and designed here by
  Michael Ogden.
• The system minimizes the use of energy, utilizes
  gravity whenever possible, avoids aerobic
  processes requiring aeration equipment, and
  avoids high rate processes. The system will be
  introduced in phases to meet development growth
  of the village. System is outlined below
• Individual interceptor (septic) tanks
• Subsurface flow constructed wetlands
• Re-circulating sand filter
• Mechanical filter and UV disinfection unit
• Land application spray irrigation

ARTIST HAMLET
wetlands
wetlands
pond
stream
wetlands and sand filter
FARM HAMLET
Michael Ogden

wetlands
reservoir
ARTIST AND FARM HAMLETS
Vegetated wetlands
Sand filter
Boardwalk
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Serenbe Community
Vegetated wetlands and boardwalk
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ARTIST HAMLET
ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
Serenbe Community
(Selborne Hamlet)
RETREAT DWELLINGS
FINE ART SCHOOL
ARTIST RETREAT
LIVE-WORK DWELLINGS
COTTAGE HOMES
TOWNHOMES
ESTATE HOME
one quarter mile diameter
ESTATE HOMES
STREAM
TOWNHOMES
one half mile diameter
ESTATE HOME
SACRED SITE
CHAPEL
PLOT SIZE VARIATIONS
COUNTY ROAD
GREEN
CEREMONIAL SITE
Aerial Photograph of Phase I
Phase I
CROSSROADS HAMLET
135 dwelling units
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ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE
Serenbe Community
more intense urban center
central gathering place
RETREAT DWELLINGS
West Court
nature within
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green in back walled-in gardens
FINE ART SCHOOL
ARTIST RETREAT
street as place
LIVE-WORK DWELLINGS
East Court
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on-street parking with sidewalks/curbs
COTTAGE HOMES
1
TOWNHOMES
3
2
plot size gradient
ESTATE HOME
2
ESTATE HOMES
STREAM
TOWNHOMES
Selborne Path
green front gardens/houses set back from street
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country road with no parking/walks
ESTATE HOME
spatial funnel
Art School
SACRED SITE
Thornburn Transect
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CHAPEL
THORNBURN TRANSECT
DENSITIES
PLOT SIZE VARIATIONS
Live/work units (_at_ 20 du/acre) Town homes (_at_ 12
du/acre) Cottage homes (_at_ 5 du/acre) Estate
homes (_at_ 2 du/acre) Retreat dwellings (_at_ 1
du/acre) Farmsteads (_at_ 0.2 du/acre)
Spontaneous character
LINEARITY
The four red squares identify four architectural
projects that bring the work into
three- dimensions.
THORNBURN TRANSECT
CURVILINEAR
COUNTY ROAD
CRESCENT
OMEGA
GREEN
open loop form
CEREMONIAL SITE
ARTIST HAMLET
Shape grammar
Phase I
CROSSROADS HAMLET
(Selborne Hamlet)
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Serenbe Community
THE FARM HAMLET Phase II
(Grange Hamlet)
Walking Distances
Hamlet Green
one quarter mile diameter
one half mile diameter
Aerial Photograph of the Grange Hamlet 2007.
Commercial
Introducing Appropriate Building Technologies
155 dwelling units
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Crossroads Hamlet
The Grange Gazebo is the first structure to be
constructed.
Serenbe Lane looking east.
Spring 2007
Serenbe Lane looking west.
Grange Hamlet
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Serenbe Community
HEALTH WELLNESS HAMLET
Phase III
Vegetarian restaurant
Healing Herbs
Exercise
Medical services and Therapeutic practices
View looking south from hamlet center.
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HEALTH WELLNESS HAMLET
one quarter mile diameter
one half mile diameter
Aerial Photograph of Phase III
180 dwelling units
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Serenbe Community
Architecturalizing the Plans
Parallel to the student work from Texas AM were
the professional works for the Art Center by Mack
Scogin and Merill Elam Architects. The center
green and park were designed by Reed Hilderbrand
from Cambridge.
Hamlet Housing Typologies
2004
2006
Student designs occurred over a three year period
from 2003-2006.
2003
2005
2006
Texas AM University Reviews
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WEST COURT
Serenbe Community
2003
Massing Studies
Art School
Pond
Courtyard view
Artist Hamlet West Court Live-Work Units
Selborne Lane level view
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LIVE-WORK
Serenbe Community
STUDENT WORKS
Unit 15
A furniture maker and residence.
Student Jason George
Unit 13
An architects office and residence.
Live/work unit designed by TAMU student Jason
Herber.
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Serenbe Community
Restaurant
Market
Selborne Lane
EAST COURT
2004
Dr. Phillip Tabb Dr. Vallie Mirnada
Instructors
Plaza
Hamlet Center
Live-Work Court
Texas AM University Studio project summer 2004
Artist Hamlet East Court Live-
Work Units/Hamlet Center
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Serenbe Community
SELBORNE PATH
2005
Dr. Phillip Tabb Dr. Vallie Mirnada Instructors
Texas AM University Studio Project Townhomes
and Live-Work Units Summer 2005
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Dr. Phillip Tabb Instructor
fourth-year undergraduate students
serenbe grange hamlet live/work cluster
development
2006
Live-work Cluster Model View from the west.
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Serenbe Community
ART SCHOOL HAMLET CENTER
Original Design
Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam Architects
Model of Phase II Art School
Model of the original scheme for the Art School
and Hamlet Center
Model of Artist Hamlet
Model of Phase II Art School
ICSU 2007
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Serenbe Community
Serenbe Construction and Materiality
Excavation for the west court live/work cluster
and BakeShop.
Architectural and building materials will be more
urban and space defining at the core of each
settlement, becoming more raw and textural at the
edges.
Street elevation at West Court Live/Work Units.
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Serenbe Community
in the center
Material Transect Allocations
special materials
urban materials
transitional materials
natural materials
Thornburn Transect
the middle
at the edge
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Serenbe Community
View of east live/work cluster, winter 2007.
Mail boxes for live/work west cluster at the
center.
Dog-trot vernacular.
Insertions of contemporary architecture within
the hamlet fabric add to the diversity and sense
of individuality.
By winter of 2005 and twenty buildings
constructed, there already exists a sense of
place and community.
Contemporary.
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Serenbe Community
serenbe path
bench
cobblestone crosswalk
artist hamlet center
SELBORNE DETAILS
the horse barn
street sign
stone curb
trash container
serenbe path
room bridge
view to wooded open-space
entrance
front porch
trash
address
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Serenbe Community
The Bakeshop
Contributing architect, David Butler.
The first non-residential use is constructed and
is certified LEED silver.
rawson and steve
Bakeshop pours into street.
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Serenbe Community
THE CROSSROADS CLUSTER
Nearby Roscoe, Georgia.
Aerial view from the southwest
Concept Plan
The T Junction
Typical Crossroads Hamlet dwellings.
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Unity at the Edge
Serenbe Community
THE FARMS
The Serenbe Community's agricultural initiative
operates within the principles of biodynamic
agriculture, a holistic and spiritual approach to
sustainable farming. The farm is strictly organic
with an additional emphasis on growing
spiritually enlivened food, educating the next
generation and building community through the
arts. Serenbe is home to over 100 farm animals
including horses, cows, goats, pigs, sheep,
rabbits, donkeys, llamas, and more. The 30 acre
organic farm grows vegetables, herbs, flowers and
fruits for CSA, local restaurants (including
those in the Serenbe community), and a farmers
market held nearby the farm.
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Farmers Market 2006
ICSU 2007
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Serenbe Community
ICSU 2007
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Serenbe Community
Materialization of the Concepts
grounded transected bounded entered ordered typed
diversified utilized authenticated multiplied conn
ected constellated
Autumn 2006
Autumn 2006
Autumn 2006
Center lights.
Selborne Lane near the center.
Summer 2006
Summer 2006
Winter 2007
Entrance sign.
The Thornburn transect is clearly illustra- ted
in the photographs on this slide where houses are
set back from the road and are located closer
together as they are posit- ioned near the hamlet
center.
Leading Concepts
Selborne Lane near the edge.
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Serenbe Community
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Serenbe Community
some concluding thoughts
Fragmentation and spontaneous growth naturally
occur at the urban edge, yet coherence and
interconnectedness can be created as they may be
guided by concepts of emplacement and
connectivity. This case study represents a
refreshing and experimental settlement strategy
compared to the vapid functionally-zoned suburban
developments and some of the problems found with
new urbanism. Following are some observations of
this kind of process
preserve as much land as possible while
concentrating development create more
opportunities for interaction with adjoining
natural environment create an interspersion
with non-residential activities no matter what
the scale create incremental changes toward
greater levels of sustainability create a more
indeterminate urbanism development stewardship
is key collaborations among developers,
professionals and the academy can be
beneficial to everyone involved
Hamlet urban center.
Possibly the greatest single strategy for
achieving sustainability is that of placemaking -
the creating of healthy, vital, natural and human
places for habitation.
Hamlet natural center.
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Many images taken from Serenbe website
http//www.serenbecommunity.com/home.html
Serenbe Community
Serenbe Community
To be continued .
ICSU 2007