First Circle

For the last twenty years, my work has been centered around nurturing collaborations which support the revitalization of our urban ecosystem.

No Limitations Beyond Design Considerations
Each project has limitations of Scope, Budget and Time. In traditional design models, these are the design considerations that, once determined, are usually changed only at great cost. In ecological design, we are expect and embrace change and adaptation as ways to improve process and outcome.

Investing time at the beginning of a project to explore the existing conditions in the social, natural and economic ecosystems helps us more accurately develop the scope, budget and time limits. In traditional project management speak, this means we are able to develop a successful Program Charter, which outlines roles & responsibilities, stakeholders, project objectives, and authority of the project manager.

Now comes the design portion. During this process, we review the existing conditions, proceed to examine the sectors for aspects we want to enhance, and those we want to discourage. We use the wisdom inherent in the permaculture principles, ethics and guiding processes to imagine and create a living economy, natural space or social system that nurtures pathways to thriving. Truly, there are no limitations to what we can accomplish, within those agreed-upon in the Charter. The more diverse the group of stakeholders included in the process, the fewer limitations there are.

Ecosystems are interconnected. We create multiple yields and benefits by:

• communicating our goals, including diverse perspectives;
• embracing diverse natural, human and economic resources;
• rewarding people who prototype, find and respond to leverage points on a small scale working from pattern to detail;
• holding a spirit of compassion for all living beings;
• creating friendly competition, which encourages new ideas and accountability.

My business model grows from fertile soil nurtured by the teachings of the Buddha, governed by a decision-making model of equity and creativity (sociocracy), and built on the framework provided by the ethics and principles of permaculture.