Misconceptions and an Ecovillage
The Veridian at County Farm
While exploring case studies in architecture and landscape architecture courses, it is hard to envision these intricate and unique projects close to home. Maybe from my perspective, these projects are so prized and cherished that it makes it difficult to relate to them personally. Why is that? I wonder why I have that misconception and if more feel the same. I came to the realization that these projects exist everywhere, and I might just not be looking for them in my area.
The Veridian at County Farm was a very exciting project that is from my home state, Michigan. The Veridian is a mixed-income, net-zero ecovillage in Ann Arbor. The village will be home to 160 dwellings, 50 of which are affordable units.
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| The Veridian “Mixed-Income ‘eco-Village’ Planned in Michigan,” Planetizen News, accessed November 28, 2023, https://www.planetizen.com/news/2022/01/115762-mixed-income-eco-village-planned-michigan. |
This ecovillage plans to be completely net-zero when it comes to energy. The village relies upon solar energy for electric power. No gas appliances or usages will be allowed on site. The Veridian is also connected to the Ann Arbor bus lines which will reduce the community's need for individualized transportation, which is another sustainable approach most ecovillages are celebrating. One-third of the development is dedicated to an organic farming set-up that supplements produce during the summer and fall months of Michigan.
A strong sense of equity exudes from the mixed-income model for this community. While community members may reside in different housing types or units, the base concept of everyone in the same community provides a refreshing diversity that most communities are lacking. Within that concept of diversity comes empathy between community members as everyone learns to understand one another.
I'll circle back to my opening paragraph by saying that this project exemplifies characteristics worthy of making The Veridian at County Farm a strong case study or precedent, and it is about an hour from my hometown. Again, I'm not sure why I have this predisposition, but I think that it is something that our education should challenge because it is important to see that these types of projects can happen anywhere, even close to home.
I like your last sentence: "these types of projects can happen anywhere, even close to home". Your feeling about Michigan is kind of how I feel about Mississippi. Having been in this program for a while, I do wish that our curriculums appreciated Mississippi landscapes and the accompanying projects more than we currently do. That's not to say there aren't relatable precedents in Portland or Seattle or Chicago, but I resent that those cities often set the standard for our department. I feel every place should set its own standard (just as your example in Michigan does). If Mississippi is "behind" per se in terms of landscape architecture theory and principles (principles which are often set by certain cities and states), then we shouldn't be "catching up" to everywhere else, but rather, we should be forging our own path and our own chronicle of development, and to do this, we must study those backyard precedents in greater detail.
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