About Community Building Experience - Video Study - Meadow Orchard Project, London 2011

 

Meadow Orchard Project from Dolly Clew on Vimeo. This is part one of a video series we are doing looking into natural building and community in London... watch this space

 

At the heart of what we do is the desire to work with and for community. Firstly “we” because “we” works best as group process, to moderate and even out the imbalances of individual egos and preconceived ideas held by any one person. 

Secondly “community” because we feel there is a need to reconnect people with places; this we believe is best achieved if we can deepen our relationship to places. One simple way to achieve this is through achieving a physical connection. 

We tend to care for things to which we feel connected; building connection (in its narrow and broad sense) is an important aspect in the social and cultural development of urban areas. In sharp contrast, building sites with heavy machinery are hostile, noisy and are dangerous exclusive places. They are “no go areas”.

Many environmental projects do not place emphasis on the interrelationship with community. We like to work with community and merge the two central themes and aspirations of environmental sustainability and community regeneration in a cost effective, creative and participative way. This aligns CIC’s aspirations with a much wider audience.

Many community building projects focus on the design aspect. What makes CIC unique is that it introduces both elements of design¹ and building. In addition, many natural builders focus on private projects – we aim to incorporate the social dimension of our projects, making CIC unique and attractive to many funders and active participants.

 

Images from Vauxhall City Farm Earth build day

 

Our aim is to offer participants the opportunity to:

• be empowered by and involved with the design and construction of public or community buildings and places

• network and share skills with highly skilled (paid) and unskilled (voluntary, grant funded, apprenticeship) individuals, thereby supporting the growth and development of natural builders and natural building in the UK

 

• create, be creative and get involved in worthwhile physical activities which produce tangible and intangible benefits
• experience an active learning environment based on sound environmental principals 
• choose building materials that are as close to their natural state as possible or that require the least energy to produce

 

Natural render course, Spain run by Bill and Athena Steen The Canelo Project at Arbizu Eco Kampin, Spain