[Scpg] SAT Dec 6/SB Permaculture Network Annual Trip to Cal-Earth Institute of Earth Art & Architecture

[Santa Barbara Permaculture Network]

Contact: Margie Bushman
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
(805) 962-2571, email: margie at sbpermaculture.org

Emacs!
Emacs!
Emacs!
Emacs!



SANTA BARBARA PERMACULTURE NETWORK
Presents:
Annual Trip to Cal-Earth Institute of Earth Art & Architecture
Demonstration Site of Visionary Architect Nader Khalili

Saturday, December 6, 2008, All Day

         On Saturday, December 6, 2008, Santa Barbara Permaculture 
Network takes its annual roadtrip to the Cal-Earth Institute of Earth 
Art and Architecture in Hesperia, CA, to visit the demonstration site 
of visionary architect Nader Khalili.

In this high desert local, Nader Khalili, his wife Iliona, and a 
staff of volunteer architects, engineers and student interns have 
been building innovative dome shaped earthen structures for almost 20 
years.  These structures, using only the earth found on the site, 
have attracted the interest of NASA scientists, the United Nations, 
those interested in emergency disaster housing, and individuals 
looking to build affordable housing.  The domes are cheap and easy to 
build as well as environmentally sound, and resistant to natural 
disaster, including floods, earthquakes and fires, making them 
especially appropriate to Southern California.  They have been 
earthquake tested to 6.5 on the Richter scale.  For the last few 
years a 3 bedroom, 2 car garage prototype that would appeal to 
California suburban dwellers was being meticulously worked out, with 
Khalili mentioning  the increased frequency of fires in our region 
and a need to build homes that could withstand them.  Originally 
called "ceramic houses" they were intended to be fired as a ceramic 
pot would be, for greater strength and beauty.

Nader Khahili was born in Iran, moving to the United States to build 
high rises in his early architectural career.  He returned to Iran in 
the 1970's on a desert odyssey by motorcycle to study the ancient 
architecture of his land, hoping to learn how to design affordable 
and sustainable architecture for the billions in the world who can't 
afford housing.  Studying the shape of a dome, that repeated itself 
across that landscape, he came up with a model that allows anyone, 
with minimal skills, to dig what is under their feet and build shelter.

Khalili, who passed away in March 2008, was a translator and student 
of the 13th century Persian Sufi poet Rumi, often quoting and 
reciting his poetry on his public tours.  Rumi's poetry taught 
Khalili that earth, water, air and fire are the basic elements of 
life, and that if we understand the equilibrium of these elements we 
will never have environmental problems.  He is the author of six 
books, including his autobiography "Racing Alone";  "Sidewalks on the 
Moon", and "Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture".

The trip takes place on Saturday, December 6, departing at 6am from a 
downtown location, returning by 6:30pm the same day.  Participants 
would be driving their own vehicles, or arranging carpooling. There 
is no fee, potluck lunch. For more information about this trip, 
please contact Santa Barbara Permaculture Network organizer, Wes Roe 
at (805) 964-1555, or wes at sbpermaculture.org, www.sbpermaculture.org. 
More information about Cal-Earth and Nader Khalili can be found at 
www.calearth.org.

<<<
You Tube
You Tube videos of Cal-Earth & Nader Khalili:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5_LPYFyaFE&feature=related

Cal-Earth model goes to Nepal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5y_Dion9E&feature=related


-end-





Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
    an educational non-profit since 2000
(805) 962-2571
P.O. Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
margie at sbpermaculture.org
www.sbpermaculture.org

"We are like trees, we must create new leaves, in new directions, in 
order to grow." - Anonymous

First Annual Southern California Permaculture Convergence August 2008
http://socalifornia.permacultureconvergence.org
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