phi·los·o·phy noun - Philosophy is the discipline concerned with the questions of how one should live (ethics); what sorts of things exist and what are their essential natures (meta- physics); what counts as genuine knowledge (epistemology); and what are the correct principles of reasoning (logic). my phi·los·o·phy noun - If it feels good, build it. | The ThinkTank Philosophy is a fluid concept, always changing and evolving to incorporate old and new ideas. Originally, we had set out to provide green and environmentally-friendly building solutions to the Kamloops area, but since then we have expanded our scope to include common-sense neighborhood planning, landscaping, and eco-village design. There are two kinds of home: the private, secluded property, and the home that is part of a larger community. The private home needs no design criteria other than that of the inhabitants and the land, while the community home must take into consideration the architectural and social details of the neighborhood at large, and we here at ThinkTank Designs subscribe to many concepts, primarily New Urbanism and the Green Community. New Urbanists support regional planning for open space, context-appropriate architecture and planning, and the balanced development of jobs and housing. The green community centers around providing areas for people to live and play, to congregate and socialize, and to work together to provide food and energy for everyone. For years, these principles were seen at work in nearly every Canadian, American and European city. In the early years of the 20th century, though, the rise of rapid transit and the automobile quite literally paved the way for the suburb, high-density zoning, and the sequestering of rural communities. The principles of the Green Community are harmonious with new urbanisn, but much more specific in scope: to use the least amount of external energy (particularly fossil fuel), reduce encroachment upon nature, and to efficiently meet the needs of the populace. The individual eco-village aims for a population of 50 to 150, which is considered the maximum for a self-sustainable social network. Eco-municipalities exist as networks of individual eco-villages, allowing for a scalable social network with a broad foundation of support. Renewable energy, permaculture, autonomous / cluster housing and completely local food production are the cornerstones of the modern eco-village. |
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