OUIL406- Visual Communication- Finally a Solid Idea

The Idea
After copious amounts of time staring at a screen, trying to figure out what I want to focus on for this brief, I finally have an idea I'm happy with. I first tried exploring different towns (I hope towns are okay) and cities and how the interact with their surroundings. Firstly looking at how architecture changes through different climates, then looking at how the climates can effect how the communities work. I have now decided to look at different towns and communities and investigate the different ways in which they are self- sufficient.

I wanted to choose places which contrasted in how they worked, or what methods they used to become self sufficient. I wanted the places to also look different, with different climates and architecture, mainly to make the images a bit more separable and distinguished from one another.

Focussed Communities
I am kind of nervous about presenting work about places that possibly aren't technically 'cities', but I'm sure it'll be fine. In any case I am going to tiptoe around the issue by calling them 'communities' from now on.

So the 4 'communities' I am going to present my work on are:

Lacabe (Navarra)- Spain
About 30 years ago, a group of local farmers stumbled across a small medieval hamlet in northern Navarra in Spain whilst out looking for their lost animals (it could well be bullshit but this is what I've read). 30 years later the hamlet, and mnost of the surrounding region of Navarra is completely self-sufficient for energy, most foods, and water. Bonkers.

It also looks sick.



Fujisawa- Japan
Although the birth of this place rose from the flames of a huge corporation, who probably waste billions in energy every year, it does produce 100% of the energy it uses.  The reason I chose this town is because it contrasts entirely from all the others, using super advanced tech to sustain itself. It looks pretty cool too, although I find it quite eery.


Emerald Earth- Anderson Valley- USA
Emerald earth is again owned by another corporation (non-profit) but does seem pretty legit. They have people who live there, but also invite others from other communities to workshops where they teach self-sustainability methods. They make their own energy, food, water and even grown their own 'herbal medicines' 420 blaze. They have some pretty phresh looking houses too.



Breitenbush- OR- USA
I wanted my final focussed community to be a more corporate faced one. One that uses its natural surrounding not only to create energy but to also make profit. The hot springs in Brietland are a huge tourist attraction, and not only make cool hot baths, but are also used to create the energy used there and heat the houses. 


It took long enough to get to this. I have lots to do.