[et_pb_section fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/TITLE-PHOTO_1170X500.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” sticky=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n
In many ways the most important philosophy that has guided the design of this house is an attempt to answer this question<\/p>\n
\u2013\u00a0How can I create a physical environment that creates an ideal environment for the nurturing and development of my children?<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/QUOTE-2_1170X5001.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n I believe that most people \u2013 especially children today have become too separated from natural systems and other species.\u00a0\u00a0Our cities and suburbs have severed the natural relationships between us and the rest of life to our detriment- diminishing us psychologically and making us insensitive to the challenges facing the natural world (see my article in Trim Tab magazine \u2013 Our Children\u2019s Cities in the resources section).<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/1-ON-THE-WATER-1170X500-IMAGES.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n Richard Louv writes elegantly about this as \u2018nature deficit disorder\u2019. To know life is to love it<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 but too few children today truly know it.\u00a0\u00a0I grew up in Northern Ontario, spending a great deal of my time camping and being outdoors \u2013 yet now the allure of electronics and the dependence on the automobile has reshaped how children spend their time.\u00a0\u00a0Our suburbs, in an attempt to offer a modicum of \u2018space\u2019 and greenery has, since the end of world war II, only further eroded the wild places that remain and further isolated most children from natural systems.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n With Heron Hall I wanted a place that would intimately connect my children to several different types of habitats and a myriad of species.\u00a0\u00a0I wanted a place where they could learn to be true stewards of the landscape and feel at home with dirt, rocks, bugs, fish, birds and animals. We chose a rural life \u2013 so we could grow some of our own food and be near to others that farm and provide \u2013 at least for part of the year, all our fresh food. For several months of the year we buy intensely local.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/SITE_720X720.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/STREAM_720X720.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/ESTUARY_720X720.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n We think we found such a place \u2013our site has several key ecosystems –\u00a0\u00a0a manmade estuary that is part of a thriving\u00a0Ecotone<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 a freshwater creek that mingles with tidal saltwater surges, resulting in one of the best \u2018birding\u2019 locations on the island. We also have a gravel beach ecosystem filled with crabs, oysters and other aquatic creatures (the heron fish here) and a transition forest ecosystem with deer, raccoons, snakes and more birds. We love this place and my kids love to be there.\u00a0\u00a0Spending time outside with trees, grass and water always brings them alive with new games and new activities.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/AERIAL-SITE-PHOTO_1170X500.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n Part of designing for biophilia is ensuring that the house itself is deeply connected to the natural world.\u00a0\u00a0A passive solar, naturally ventilated home, the project does just that. The seasons and diurnal cycles play a major role in how the home is operated and experienced.<\/p>\n The house also integrates living things directly into its design \u2013 green roofs that double as food production zones, indoor and outdoor plantings and a general celebration of water and nutrients through our cisterns and composting toilets. Natural materials \u2013 wood, rammed earth, stone further connect us to nature\u2019s palette. And the views\u2026 water, trees, flowers are wonderful.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/BACKYARD-1_1170X500.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/SECRET-COURTYARD.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/BACK-DECK.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”]<\/p>\n Inside smaller kids bedrooms encourage more family-based interactions and shared relationships \u2013 much of which we hope will encourage even more outdoor activities. Oh and did I mention porches and the variety of courtyards, gardens and outdoor spaces?<\/p>\n I could go on\u2026 but I\u2019m too busy playing on the site with my children.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/QUOTE-2-LOVE-LIFE_1170X5001.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [et_pb_section fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image admin_label=”Image” src=”http:\/\/ddf.c4a.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/TITLE-PHOTO_1170X500.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” animation=”off” sticky=”off” \/][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left”] In many ways the most important philosophy that has guided the design of this house is an attempt to answer this question \u2013\u00a0How can I create a physical environment that creates an ideal environment for the nurturing and development of my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1418,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1965","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1965"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1965\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/heronhall.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}