Location: Atascadero, CA

Project Details: 7th Generation Design was invited to develop a design for a newly acquired 1.3 acre homestead located within the historic flood plain of the Salinas River in Atascadero, CA. The family is interested in creating additional income streams through a rental dwelling unit, re-treeing the property to grow some very needed shade, and in creating a functional gathering space for fostering community connections with fire circles, rights of passage, sweat lodges and seasonal gatherings.

The Land: The lot is almost perfectly flat, with less than 1 foot of elevation change end to end. Soils are quite sandy with some clay, and are historically excellent agricultural soils. Many years of over-use and constant livestock pressure have left the soils dominated by annual weeds. One giant legacy sycamore tree remains on the property.

Needs: Visual privacy from close neighbors and sound abatement from the road, along with growing shade trees and re-patterning vehicle access to the property were primary design considerations to help create a more inviting, people-friendly environment, especially during the long, hot dry seasons.

Additional elements included in the design:

• Access planning and shade structures around the barn to be remodeled into a rental unit.
• Centrally located kitchen garden space.
• Silvopasture agroforestry zones planted for animal and human yields.
• Greywater and roof run-off infiltration basins.
• Privacy “fedges” (food hedges) planting along access lines creating gradients of communal and private spaces.
• Parking patterning and driveway relocation for residents and guests.
• Earthbag sound-reduction wall with integrated planters.
• Siting for a tiny house complex with outdoor living room, inipi sweat lodge, moon tent, livestock pens and housing (sheep, chickens, rabbits), greenhouse, shadehouse, outdoor kitchen, compost toilet and outdoor shower.