CALIFIA DESIGN SPEC PROPOSAL (draft)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(1) LAND PLAN

A. Architecture

B. Ecology

C. Green Technology

D. Transportation

E. Food/Farming

(2) CIVIC

A. Governance

B. Economy

(3) CULTURE-SOCIETY

A. Health

B. Arts

C. Education

D. Media/Communications

(4) DEVELOPMENT

A. Financing

B. Social Networking

(1) LAND PLAN

GENERAL

- 1000 acres+

- Flourishing bioregion as ideal – site to be restored, enhanced as required

- Califia as epicenter of green community & urban design laboratory.

- Site options: agricultural land, infill in existing cities (eg Oakland Navy yard), outside San Jose/outside Sunol in Alameda County, Concord Naval Station, Treasure Island,

- Nature as the model: harmony, self-sustaining, “GreenTech,” community guidelines

- Low-income housing as part of mix

- Residential to be a combination of single-family, co-housing, and village configurations

A. ARCHITECTURE

- Significant use of "Pattern Language" elements to humanize the scale of structures, etc.

- Buildings arranged to maximize pedestrian travel

- beautiful quiet places, private-public continuum, comfort zones

- Emphasize passive solar architecture of clusters of buildings linked by bridges, complete with terrace and rooftop gardens, cafes... public access.

- Fine grain detail & art: make Califia the aesthetically satisfying environment that the best villages and hill towns enjoy, and avoid the oppressive feeling of megastructures.

- No gated community - open community, multi-cultural, harmony

- Improvements on existing eco-designs, fix flaws, on a continual basis.

- Not linear but radiating overall design

- Survival “lean: mode: do more with less; maximize flow of resources and sharing connections

- Nature + tech = connecting our community and other resonant communities around the planet

- anticipate climate change

- 3-D Arcology approach: design 3D spaces with functional & aesthetic needs addressed

- Natural environment within & without the structures

- Density: (30 families) to 10K

- Make practical elements aesthetically pleasing – thoughtfully designed using all green materials

- Diversity of artistic architectural periods - one identity or many styles?

- Maximize "daylight" potential between structures and throughout complex

- Access to natural light and ventilation in every building

- Natural darkness (minimize light pollution, see the stars)

- Residential: mixture of private family spaces and shared community living spaces

B. ECOLOGY

- Overall permaculture design strategy

- Practical and important in Califia - PARKS to walk in nature areas with no perception of buildings or "city" - bike, skate, run, sit, lie.

- restore all urban creeks or build new to celebrate them.

- Dedicating 3 to 5 times as much land to nature as covered by new construction

- Accessible green space

- Eco-city mapping

C. GREEN TECHNOLOGY

- The generation of green power in Califia could be a net profit business.

- Califia should be carbon neutral.

- Waste, drinking, and irrigation water should be managed to close loops using grey-water and black-water systems, in addition to conservation.

- Energy conservation should be the first priority, then renewable energy generation

- Clean energy technologies, such as solar, water, wind, geothermal are possible.

- Califia should be a showcase for renewable energy technologies.

D. TRANSPORTATION

Inner-eco-city travel: Getting around within the eco-city.

- Design the city to foster walking as a main form of getting around.

- Allow for safe and easy bike access in the city and to the surrounding areas.

- A light rail or highly efficient bus system will provide transportation for longer trips within the eco-city.

Extra-eco-city travel: Connecting the eco-city with the surrounding areas, and allowing for easy, primarily car-optional/car-free travel.

- Promote bike access to and from Califia.

- A light rail system, which would also serve for transit in Califia, would connect to the surrounding area and existing transportation.

- Ideally Califia would be proximal to BART, allowing for easy access to the Bay Area metropolitan areas and improving car-free access to Califia.

- Hyper-car share (eg City Car Share) could provide for all necessary vehicle use.

E. FOOD/FARMING

- Maximize local food production

- Advanced recycling, biomass conversion, etc. - "waste" converter, nitrogen fixing to clean "waste" water, esp. from aquaculture system; nutrient cycling: all biological systems (food, "waste") must inter-react to effectively be a "closed system".

- Animals - part of the system - companionship, food producers (the eggs of the chickens), manure producers, systemic for recycling

- Prawn - macrobraclium: fresh water prawn production, another shrimp on the barbie? High value item for sale needs: hatchery, grow out ponds.

(2) CIVIC

A. GOVERNANCE

- Califia paradigm of social governance based on participatory democracy where all persons are valued and supported, and encouraged to contribute to the best of their abilities.

- A model that serves all forms of life and the natural environment.

- All persons have rights and opportunities to benefit from the resources afforded us by our natural environment.

- Challenge ourselves to live our life in drastically different ways.

- Learn to accept and appreciate difference and negotiate with one another from a position of mutual respect.

- Group decisions made using innovative technology.(doesn't quite sound right)

- Create an environment where we will continue to refine our knowledge, deepen and broaden our vision and enter a new phase of human evolution.

B. ECONOMICS

- Pioneer an innovative internal economy to act as the center and engine driving growth and change in the local green economy.

- Eco-city as commerce hub of local green currency/eco-city credit card.

- Social network utilized as foundation of community-based economics, networked sharing of resources, and collective commerce.

- All major sectors (retail, industrial, hotel, entertainment, agriculture, etc) present in sustainable form within the city and providing for its internal economy.

- Closed-loop reuse and recycling systems reduce resource expenses.

- Cooperatives at a set percentage of the internal economy.

- Economic partnerships and trade relations between Califia-like developments around the world.

(3) CULTURE-SOCIETY

GENERAL:

- act as model for green and holistic community development

- live in integrity, honor, with nature and the mother

- community of consciousness, non-elitism and co-creativity

- community of light, human wisdom and integrity

- collective destiny - transcend old fear-based paradigm fear to heart-based one

- diversity – include all traditions

- create a indigenous culture is our living model for sustainable community

- heart of the community: central gathering spaces, non-denominational spiritual/vision center, sacred silent meditation spaces,

- sustainable community exposition area

- partnerships with social groups, such as Habitat for Humanity

- collective/conference facilities, central solar bakery

- hotels,

A. HEALTH:

- local, community-owned health center, integrative-preventive hospital/pharmacy, wellness spa resort

- group healing practices

B. ARTS:

- "magic of the city" - crowds, music, spectacle, monument, museums, sculpture, etc…

- community entertainment zone - village story-telling/performing arts theater, amusement theme park, video game/virtual reality park, celebration activities, inspiring cultural events

C. MEDIA/COMMUNICATIONS:

- innovative media center - showcase of marriage of nature and modern technology

- highly connected multi-media nodes - electronic communication, cell phones, internet, e-mail, blogs

- advanced online social network built into community

- use technology to explore human potential, for kids' education and artistic creation

D. EDUCATION:

- innovative public schools, lifelong community learning, human potential development programs, skilled trades education, educational center for sustainability

(4) DEVELOPMENT

A. FINANCING:

- (Establish social/green real estate investment fund to back the development of the project.)

- Build public/private and profit/non-profit partnerships.

- Leverage potential long-term economic benefits to enlist public and governmental agencies at the local, state, national, and international levels.

- Partner with non-profit affordable housing organizations to promote affordability.

- Leverage Califia as ‘green tech-design showcase’ to enlist sponsorship from green business in the private sector.

- (Host ‘Clean Tech Open’ style design competitions for solutions to all major facets of Califia design.)

- (Leverage potential of a “Green World Expo” style event to build infrastructure and promote development.)

- Promote innovative local and community-based financing and social capital programs.

- (Initiate presale of housing units to social network established community members.)

- Advance social justice rooted in shared equity.

B. SOCIAL NETWORKING:

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