Design Principles for Small-Scale Urban Projects

I recently moved to a new location where, circumstances being what they were, I ended up with much less space on the premises to implement permaculture projects. This situation has caused me to look more into not just which kinds of projects are feasible for urban sites, but also which permaculture principles are most applicable to site designs for urban locations.

I ended up with a list of eleven different design principles. It didn't really surprise me that so many seem to fit well for urban design - permaculture principles are inherently very adaptable to many different environments. I believe that these are especially well-suited for small-scale urban projects. They address some of the unique challenges and opportunities found when designing permaculture systems for urban environments.

1. Observe and interact: Urban environments are often highly altered and can have a complex mix of natural and human-made elements. Observing and interacting with the site can help you understand how to work with these elements and design a system that is well-suited to the specific conditions of the area.
2. Catch and store energy: Urban environments often have limited space and resources, so it's important to make the most of what is available. By catching and storing energy in the form of water, food, and other resources, you can create a more self-sufficient and sustainable system.
3. Obtain a yield: Productivity is a crucial consideration in small-scale urban permaculture systems, as space is limited and resources are often scarce. Incorporating a variety of plants, and even animals, that can provide food, medicine, and other resources can help to maximize the yield of the system.
4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback: Urban environments can be highly dynamic and subject to rapid change, so it's important to create systems that can adapt and change over time. Self-regulation and feedback mechanisms can help the system to respond to changing conditions and improve over time.
5. Use and value renewable resources and services: Urban environments often rely heavily on non-renewable resources and services, such as fossil fuels and municipal water systems. Incorporating renewable resources and services into the permaculture system can help to reduce dependence on these non-renewable resources. Urban areas frequently have waste streams that a creative can tap into and utilize, such as tree branches, scrap lumber, and much more.
6. Produce no waste: Urban environments can generate a lot of waste, as I indicated above, and finding ways to recycle and reuse this waste can be a key aspect of designing a sustainable and resilient system, whether the "waste" is generated on-site or whether it is produced nearby. This is often very helpful when finding needed materials to implement the design. At one site, one of the neighbors had horses which generated a good amount of manure. The manure was just waste for the neighbor but was put to excellent use on the site as a source of much-needed organic material and nitrogen.
7. Design from patterns to details: Urban environments can be complex and difficult to understand, so starting with an understanding of the overall patterns of the system can help to make sense of the details.
8. Integrate rather than segregate: Urban environments often have a mix of different elements, such as buildings, roads, fences, and empty lots. Creating systems that are integrated and interconnected can help to maximize the potential of these elements and create more resilient and sustainable systems.
9. Use small and slow solutions: Urban environments can be fast-paced and subject to rapid change, so small-scale, incremental solutions can be more adaptable and sustainable in the long term. This goes hand-in-hand with observing and accepting feedback: watching how your design implementation responds over time gives you an excellent idea about what pieces need tweaking (and something always needs tweaking).
10. Use and value diversity: Urban environments can be diverse and multicultural. Incorporating a wide variety of plants, animals, and other elements can help to create a more resilient and adaptable system. And, remember, a wide variety does not necessarily indicate a large quantity, which is why this is appropriate for urban projects.
11. Use edges and value the marginal: Urban environments often have a lot of "edges" and marginal areas, such as sidewalks, medians, rooftops, and wild or unmanaged spaces. These areas can be highly productive and biodiverse, and incorporating them into the permaculture system can help to make the most of the limited space available.

In summary, these design principles are tailored to work with the unique characteristics and constraints of small-scale urban permaculture systems, such as limited space, diverse elements, and the need for adaptability and resilience. They help to ensure that the permaculture system is well-suited to the specific conditions of the urban environment and can be sustainable in the long term.