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