Icons for Permaculture Design

Icons for Permaculture Design

"ecoicons Univerd" is a simple method for designing "permacultures" using 333 icons; it's like a board game for parents and ecoconcious people wanting to live in a healthy and sustainable planet. This work is dedicated to Bill Mollison who introduced the author of this text to permaculture, to which he has dedicated himself since 1984, publishing three books, 175 booklets and many articles for the Spanish speakers of the world.

Univerd-ecoCenter

In 1983, after 30 years of dedication to the scientific organization of work for industrial businesses, the author wanted to make a change in his life which would represent mother nature as a much more efficient organism than human inventions. On the same land where my ancestors practiced permaculture for more than 500 years, I built an ecological experience center which, since 1984, after reading Permaculture One and after correspondence with Mollison, I wanted it to be a center for teaching permaculture in Spanish
I introduced the book to farmers, biologists, engineers, architects, geographers..... and people interested in returning to the land. The result was the formation of a permaculture study group which concentrated on the first permaculture books.
Since 1984 I edit my notes under the title "This is Permaculture". I've published three books and I'm currently preparing three booklets in CD Rom format.

In 1994 (like every 20 years) the fire visited my farm, burning in an hour what had taken 50 years to grow. I saw it coming and, unarmed, I fled; when I returned I found my paradise had been turned into a desert of ashes. This time, the fire, which had always been controlled by farmers, was even out of control for the firefighters and their army of airplanes and 4X4 vehicles.
Everything burned except my ancestors permaculture design and the 500 year old, self-built stone house. The day after I wrote a poem to describe what had happened; nine months later I was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer.

EcoCulture, the science
At first, like others who had read Permaculture One, I had my own definition of Permaculture. For me, as a professional of scientific order, Permaculture is "Order of Nature".
When people asked me what I did their response was Perma-what? I had a hard time avoiding such a response. One day, while reading the first phrase in Introduction to Permaculture, I noticed he defines Permaculture as "a design system for sustainable human environments", and I remembered about Bill and David discovering Permaculture by searching for an interdisciplinary earth science. I feel this science deserves to be called EcoCulture. What else could result from all the knowledge of humanity, of all cultures, of all countries, and of all time that would first observe Nature and successfully think of all the services which she provides us with free?
I found an easy way to explain my studies: Permaculture, Ecoculture design. -A word which doesn't force anyone to say eco-what?-. Anyone would assume Ecoculture is ecological culture, which involves the cited knowledge combined with the natural elements (sun, moon, fire, wind, water, soil, plants, animals, humans, their structures, wastes and information) and also human intelligence, a fundamental resource. That is the basis for my icon design method.

The icon game
In 1997, I made up a game of 12 cards and one joker "the genius"; when someone picks up a card they have to say a way of taking advantage of the element which the card represents (the sun, moon, . . . , wastes, information). This was a quick way for people to learn about self-sufficiency; some even came prepared with answer lists. I gradually added more icons to the list until I reached 100, each of which corresponded to each of the 13 initial groups. Next I added the 14th group for auxiliary design
elements or for those which didn't have a category.
Later, as I searched through my notes, magazines, books and encyclopedias, I ended up with 222 icons; however, since I was at the point where I dreamed nightly about icons and would spend every morning designing them I soon passed 232 and 292, 303 and 323, until I got to 333 and decided enough was enough. I revised the texts and finished my last book "ecoIcons Univerd for designing sustainable landscapes".
I presented the book in the Biocultura 2002 alternative fair, which is celebrated every year in Barcelona and Madrid. In Barcelona, the Sunday closest to May 5th in which we get together every year since 1998, "Spanish Permaculture Year", in a convention which incorporates more than 100 people who proudly call themselves "Permacultores de España"

The icon design method
Permaculture designs tend to be more or less complicated and the designers are more or less skilled in hand sketches or drawing with the computer; with either of these methods the use of icons . . .
1. Simplifies the design,
2. Eases interpretation and . . .
3. Achieves a dignified presentation.
On the other hand, since every icon raises many questions, place analysis and adequate placement of each element in relations to its environment, is more evident and the design is therefore more accurate.
Designing with icons is also efficient entertainment: The designer thinks of the possibilities of each of the 333 icons before putting them on paper or on the screen.

The order of design
A good design can't be made until the designer has lived a full year on the site, and / or has sufficient history; therefore, . . .
1. With the "General Icon Frame" and the "Informative Questionnaire" previously answered by those in charge of the study, by site residents and the public information I'm able to get a hold of, I'm ready to study the topographic map.
2. I place the icons which represent the elements on the map. That is what there is.
3. I consider changing the placements of the icons and if I decide on a change, I put it somewhere else and temporarily cross out the abandoned icon. I can always change my decision.
4. I first play with what I have, moving what is less convenient and only when everything looks good, thereby increasing correctly related with the previous ones.
5. Once again I move those which I previously changed and so on, until I find the best set-up. That is what there will be.
6. I return to the site and check the possibilities for the new design. I take note of all observations.
7. I restudy the design and introduce the observations.
8. I observe the site once again and correct the new design. I repeat steps 6 and 7 as many times necessary until have no more doubts or changes.
9. I show the client the old design and remind them of it's characteristics and then, the new design with all it's advantages.
I explain to them that it's the first idea; I listen to their observations and I take notes.
10. I revise the design until I see it as the best design I've ever made and then

I can turn it into a reality which will satisfy the possibilities and desires of the client.
Until now all the movements of the icons have been on paper or on the computer; from now on they will become realities on land.
All designs which cannot immediately be turned into reality, with the clients resources, is not the proper design for them.
When I talk about my client I am referring to those who live on the site: the true permacultor which will be the future designer of their own paradise. It is he who should be the true designer, we were simply his introductory friends.

Learn PC with icons
The 333 icons should be in order like slides which the presenter wants to show, as a reminder of what is said; to help focus on the main ideas.
Not only the young, adults and even the elderly can take advantage of the possibilities of this method, even children. Professors, parents and even the kids themselves can play with the icons like we play as designers and teachers. I have taken the icons to schools. I have asked a group of troubled children to draw each icon on paper.
After they drew the first, I drew it on the chalkboard; and so on, one after another.
At the end I asked them to write what is all of that information. Each of them wrote until they were tired. After congratulating them we went out to the patio and right next to the kitchen door we made an herb spiral.
Their four professors who witnessed the session were left speechless. Those kids, considered troubled and uncontrollable had enthusiastically done something seen by many as impossible.
I think that the 13 icons of Ecoculture and the 320 icons of Permaculture, could prove to be very useful in learning Ecoculture and in designing Permacultures, all by simply PLAYING.
Contact Feliciano Pla
email: fpla@wanadoo.es
univerd@wanadoo.es