Conceptual Communal Home Design: The Functional and Efficient, Land-Conscious Way
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Although we'd all like to forget the absolute failure of 1970's-era communes, such a form of living can actually offer a far higher quality of living than middle-class Americans will ever be able to achieve on their own. This isn't even that hard to demonstrate. Ten ordinary/humdrum living rooms, for example, just don't compare to the 32-seat movie theater, racquetball court, library, and game room/sports bar that can be built in their place! Being able to work from home in sub-industrial-scale shops and in professional offices without the need to travel is also held in sharp contrast to the deficiencies of single-family living. Indeed, high performance features, which most people would find unheard of, carry through to all parts of these homes.
This book contains the conceptual floor plans for ten communal homes. There are thought provoking four- and seven-bedroom extended-family dwellings that far outperform contemporary homes. There are 11- and 16-bedroom units with extensive shop and office facilities. There are larger 42- and 81-bedroom units with more activity areas than most small towns have. There is even a theoretical 21-level mid-rise facility offered that would fill the core of a professional sports stadium. All of these designs have emergency-enhanced features (such as extensive visitor accommodations) to help families better cope with region-wide disasters.
All floor plans are presented in an easy-to-understand, clutter-free format. This allows readers to focus on the design's true performance, not its aesthetical appearance. Readers are provided with a wealth of supporting information. Chapter by chapter details describe just how functional, efficient, and even how downright enjoyable such arrangements can be when homes are specifically designed for such intensified living conditions.
No longer do we have to embrace a lottery mentality of foolishly thinking that we can simply win our way to a better life. When we go about life so decisively as this, we can systematically achieve a far higher standard of living as well as lowering land consumption 60% to 95%! With lower level parking garages, flat/usable rooftops, and hydroponic greenhouse gardens, no home could ever get anymore environmentally friendly than these!
This is a full-size 8.25" X 10.75" book containing seven chapters, seven appendix sections, and 50 B&W line drawings and photos.
About the Author
Christopher John Eldridge earned an Associates Degree in mainframe computer programming at the Harrisburg Area Community College in 1997, going on to a seven-year career in this field. While at college, he earned a 3.8 GPA, worked as a Student Instructor (SI), and tutored programming.
Professional life never satisfied Chris, however. The activism instilled in him early on as a teenage runaway and homeless person meant that he spent every second of his personal time working towards humanitarian and environmental progress: petitioning and protesting in every way he knew how. His first book, Conceptual Communal Home Design, aptly demonstrates a new and painstaking analytical approach to this on and off again way of living. His highly functional floor plans (developed methodically over 18 years) systematically achieve a far higher quality of living for residents, while reducing land consumption by as much as 60% to 98%! The former Governor of California, Mayor Jerry Brown, commended Chris for advocating such land-conscious designs.
Apart from his passion for functional home designs, Chris also engages in a minimalist way of life known as living simply: where every action he makes becomes a chance to conserve still more! His second book, Environmental Practices: From Living Simply to Global Advancement, documents the many things he learned about caring for the environment on a personal level, as well as how high technology has helped everything from oil tankers to jumbo-jet airliners become much more environmentally friendly. The book—now in its sixth edition—also contains his latest communal home designs and a chapter on emergency preparedness. In recognition of his efforts, Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts stated:
"Environmental Practices offers creative ways, designs, and technology to protect and improve the state of our environment; and I commend you for your comprehensive work."
Chris trained for eight-year in the martial arts and also for a few years in Tai Chi and yoga. He has studied Buddhism and Native American skills and has designed and sewn highly detailed outdoor clothing attire (for his own use) for some 19 years. Chris authored a seven-page feature article for the magazine Law Enforcement Technology in August 2004 called Preparing for a Super-Disaster, had more than 27 pro-space and pro-peace reader-responses printed on MSNBC.com, and is a valued member of The Carter Center and The Planetary Society.
Conceptual Communal Home Design: The Functional and Efficient, Land-Conscious Way,Christopher John Eldridge,Trafford Publishing,141201820X,Architecture,Design & Drafting,Domestic,Planning,Architectural structure & design,Architecture / Planning
Book Contents:
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