sf zen center garden design
TRANSCRIPT
San Francisco Zen CenterUrban Permaculture Design
Project
Carlos AugurtoCristina CorreaCristiane Ferreira
UC Berkeley ExtensionNovember 15, 2010
San Francisco Zen Center
City Center: Hoshin-ji (Begginer’s Mind Temple)
Green Gulch Farm: Soryui-ji (Green Dragon Temple)
Tassajara Zen Mountain Center: ZenShin-ji (Zen Mind Temple)
Principles and Precepts
Beginner’s Mind Temple1922 - Julia Morgan
Difficult corner site
Natural lighting throughout
Originally the Emanu-el Sisterhood Residence
Later wartime duty as headquarters for female military personnel
Bought by Susuki Roshi in 1969…
Practice center, residence, refuge, classroom
SummaryThe site
Project goals
Selected areas
Area goals, vision, assessment
Project elements
Questions remaining
The Site
Buch
anan
St.
Page St.
Oak St.
Laguna
St.
Octa
via
St.B
uch
anan
St.
Haight
St.
300 Page Street
SFZC City Center Zones
Sectors
Sun (C)
Wind (C)(D)
WaterRain (C)(D)
Potable (B)(D)
Waste (C)(D)
Practice cycles (C)
GGF, ZMC (C)
WildlifePests (B)(D)
Pollinators, etc (C)
People (C)(D)Residents
Staff
Guests
Sangha
Students
City
Silence (C)
Sectors
Project Goals
Close resource loops to conserve energy and mass and preserve carbon onsite
Build on existing successful solutions
Walk the talk…EfficiencyImpermanence
Selected AreasLaguna Street sidewalk
Side Courtyard
Main Courtyard
Roof
Laguna StreetGoals
Vision
Assessment
Elements
Laguna Street - Goals
Improve aesthetics
Improve access
Reduce runoff
Laguna Street - Vision
Laguna Street - Vision
Laguna Street - Vision
Laguna Street - Elements
Main Courtyard
Main Courtyard
Main Courtyard Sector Analysis
The sun rises on the west side of the building, it sets to the east.
Sun distribution on-site:
North edge (south facing): full sun (summer) / shade (winter)
South edge (north facing): full shade
East edge: morning sun
West edge: afternoon sun
Wind pattern: The main wind pattern is blocked by the high building structure. The courtyard does not have big wind concerns as the plants are protected.
Rain pattern: the rain hits the concrete and then the rain water goes to the soil and the plants, and to the drains to the city’s sewer system. Maybe this soils gets more rain water than the average, as the rain hits the concrete and moves straight into the soil.
Wildlife: Pigeons regularly come by to enjoy the birdbath. Sometimes there are hummingbirds. There may be other birds. Several spiders have made a home amongst the landscaping. There are also fish in the pond and snails everywhere.
Soil: The existing soil in the garden is bad and old. And it is the same to the boxes. To know exactly physical properties, type, structure should be done a test. The soil has not been amended in a long time.
Main Courtyard Sector Analysis
Technical problems on-site
Soil;
The planters by the windows are full of pests (cutworms),;
Not much people to keep the maintenance;
The planter boxes could be considered underutilized;
The building has had pest infestations in the past. Rats and bed bugs are a concern.
Available on-site energies
People: Guest students, residents, visitors, employees;
Machines / tools: gardening tools, green house;
Wastes: Water, organic matter, time;
Energy: Solar – Photovoltaic panels; electrical; natural gas.
Connections chart
VisioningSoil needs renovation.
The planting plan needs to be re-organized.
Incorporate useful and interactive things: food plants, education activities, flowers for arrangements.
Research existing plants, their care, their needs.
Creating a plant i.d. list with caring tips to make gardening transition and cooperation more accessible. There seems to be interest from residents.
Gutters and rain collector (cistern) could be installed depending on where it is going to be used and where we are collecting it, and the existing drainage pattern.
GoalsPlants that attract Butterflies for shade areas.
Bring natives to the landscape.
Planters – remove the plants with pests, they are in the wrong environment.
Keep maximum manually irrigation.
Soil regeneration, regenerate instead remove – Ommmmm…
Create plants ID to integrate the residents and make the maintenance easier.
Rainwater system: The size of the “tile roof over loggia” is 44” x 11’. Permitting approximately capture 751 cubic feet of water/month or 5,617 gal/ month
Principle #9, without requirement of much energy or funding, and being low cost.
Educational garden.
#1 – the sign will be in a “bunch” close to a rock, where the person is invited to observe and interact. It is a “sit spot”, where you sit, take your time and observe.
#2 – the sign will be in a plant to show and to make to think that the plant is catching and storing energy.
# 3 – the sign will be at the fountain, where supposable lettuce could be planted around it.
# 4 – the sign will be in a spot “full of dead leaves”. Courtyard self-regulation: no water irrigation in the winter; dead leaves naturally spread around the ground; permitting the nature make her job.
#5 – the sign will be at the “cistern”, and it will be the symbol for education. A cistern in a Zen Center!
#6 – the sign will be in another “dead leaves” spot. Nature leaves no trace; a picture explaining that it will be turned into mulch.
#7 – The nature reason behind the pattern. A maple tree spot could be the example of a pattern year cycle. Also the fountain could be a symbol for the ocean, where life comes (cycle of the fountain / cycle of the water). A study of pattern.
#8 – in a spot where plants are watered by hands. Bringing people and nature close together.
Close the contact of person and plant and human valuing the work that come from hands.
#9 – Watering can near a pot as a symbol of how you slow things down and make more efficient solution. If the Center runs out of energy, they can irrigate the plants.
#10 – bring a native to the landscape and the sign to symbolize diversity.
#11 – in the surface of the soil, where is an edge between the life above the soil and human life.
#12 – in any part of the garden, showing that the creation of an educational garden is stimulating the creativity and imagination in people and the associations they do through the garden, getting rooted into their lives
Timeline and budget
The rainwater system to the courtyard area could cost around $6,000 with cistern in polypropylene and installation. It takes around 1 month.
http://www.tampabaywater.org
The signs could be hand made using recyclable materials. Cost around $5 per sign, being $60 total for materials and volunteers could make the art design. It might take 2 months within finding recyclable materials, buying extra materials like light paints, brush, pinheads and start working.
The plants price and installation depends in which will be chosen, not estimated.
Side CourtyardGoals
Vision
Assessment
Elements
Side Courtyard - GoalsEnhance aesthetics
Improve access
Reduce runoff
Side Courtyard- Vision
Project was a success because it created a beautiful, usable
environment in what was previously a dark corner of
the building
Side Courtyard - Vision
Side Courtyard- Elements
Side Courtyard- Elements
RooftopGoalsVision
Assessment
Rooftop- GoalsImprove wildlife habitat
Increase green living space
Produce food/herbs
Reduce urban heat island effect
Reduce runoff
Rooftop- VisionCreating a green oasis that produces a yield and is viable for wildlife and pollinators
To introduce urban beekeeping to SFZC
Project Elements
Next steps…
Parking spot in front?
Rainwater harvesting for bathrooms?
Window planters in rooms?
Consider project phasing and budgeting, based on SFZC available resources
Upcoming challenges:Aging monks
Deteriorating infrastructure
New needs