Hi bashworth and everyone else. Years ago one of my lecturers described technology as the tools humans use AND the ways they use them. Whether a good definition or not, it has stuck with me and affects the way I think about the word “technology”. To me it is not just whizz bang inventions but also their applications: furthermore it is also social structures and systems, as these are just another kind of thing humans invent to improve their lives.
Right now, these ATA forums seem to me to follow an individualistic paradigm that is not always the best solution to (for example) a housing problem: a sort of “super-DIYer” ethic. (Or is it just me and the kinds of topics I read? Anyway.) It’s kind of strange because the contributors are passionate about sharing their knowledge to make our society and the world a better place – the whole point of these forums is for us to work together to overcome problems! – but the end feeling is all quite atomised.
I think a new strand in the ATA forums would have more instances of groups of people cooperating to solve environmental issues, with examples of successes and failures. Topics for this new strand could be things like “ride sharing apps” as a heading in the “Transport” theme, or “co-building” under the “Sustainable Building” theme.
For the record I have been a member of Urban Coup in Melbourne for a few years. However, I am beginning to suspect that large co-housing projects are not “mainstreamable” enough to provide affordable and environmental housing solutions on a society-wide scale, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. One problem is the herding cats phenomenon: they are simply too big. Another is that there is a tension between the square meterage cost of land and the density of a proposed development: if you can find a piece of land cheap enough, it is likely to be in an area the local council will require a lower density build project. I think projects like The green swing or Property Collectives may be a more achievable direction in co-building. ‘Cause you have highlighted something right there bashworth: we should be the mainstream!
Posted Sunday 7 May 2017 @ 11:51:26 pm from IP
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