Studio-RMA develops new incentives in land preservation of the coastal Redwoods
In recent years the Studio has become more and more involved with large property owners with land in exquisite natural settings. Quite often these properties are not only purchased for private use, they are purchased with the purpose of preserving their natural wonders. Generally Land Preservation Trusts are created, often resulting in tax benefits for the owner.
Studio RMA, known for blending high-end, fully sustainable homes into the natural environment also sees its sustainable practice as it relates to the bigger picture in Social - Ecological and Economic terms.
How to deal with responsible stewardship of the land became a crucial issue. By involving the best trained minds available on these issues, the Studio is developing innovative new land-use strategies.
One of our projects, the Hi`ilani House is located on a 17 acre fully organic farm. The grading required for this house is designed to have minimal impact on the land. Positioned on an knoll with an old grazing meadow, the house is fully self-sustained and does not need any soil disturbing trenching to get the utilities in.
While it takes some time to figure all these design puzzles out, the results are very rewarding. Minimal disturbance of the land keeps the land and its ecosystems healthy.
The Hi`ilani house features a 2' ft wide local granulated basalt perimeter around the house. A barrier that local pests, abundant in the Hawaii climate, don't enjoy passing. Thus no need for pesticides. The entire termite - toxin free - sustainable SCIP building material creates a home where humans can live next to nature in harmony and enjoy each other's presence.
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Our vision is that with awareness and abundant creative energy, we humans can let go of the idea that nature is simply a resource we can use at will. We are actually made of the same essential building blocks of nature itself, we use the same air, the same water, the same earth.
Many sustainable life practices are rapidly emerging worldwide. The only alternative to sustainable, would be un-sustainable. As we all know, an un-sustainable life means death.
In Brazil, with European partners, the Studio is developing a 'Socio-Eco' tourism destination for this newly emerging European tourist market. 'Socio' meaning actual interaction between the two continents' inhabitants.
An often unknown fact is that Paris - NY is about the same flying time as Paris to the North East of Brazil. There are over 50% more direct flights from Europe to Brazil than from the USA.
The Studio has been involved with projects in this area where the connections are getting stronger on a daily basis.
We have now several commissions and we are adding renowned expertise to our design team to review the Local and Environmental issues. Like the Amazon Rain Forest, this area in the USA, home of the Large Redwoods, needs much attention and resolve. We are currently looking at a 27 mile stretch from the '10 Mile Beach' up to the 'Lost Coast' .
Some of the larger coastal properties in this area are for sale, clear- cutting of the woods must be stopped. Studio RMA is committed into developing this area in accordance with new preservation programs.
With our language skills in place and our constant traveling, we continually seek to attract the best local expertise available for any physical area of work we delve into. It's quite exciting to meet and work with our collaborators and team mates worldwide.
By Robert Mechielsen
To contact Robert, click here.