Oftentimes, the land is one of the least relevant features of a building. You get to choose between property you have… or property you can afford. Sometimes though, that’s not enough. In those cases, the selection of the site can allow you to dream far bigger than you ever thought possible. Your real estate agent knows what generic home or land buyer X wants, and they know how to answer these questions:
Site Selection Conventional Criteria
Beauty
Views
Trees
Quality of Life
Neighbors
Proximity to Police, Fire, & Medicine
Schools
Shopping
Recreation
Investment
Property Values
Security
Taxes
Design
Codes and Covenants
Gas, Water, Sewer, Power
Roads & Transportation
Slope & drainage
These get to the meat of things. But what about the HEART of things? What’s missing? In Japan, every landscape is designed to play host to the god(s). There are mountains, valleys, waterfalls, streams, and abundant plants, especially flowering ones, which can delight the senses. There’s something to this practice, and when combined with an attention to ecology and relationship, they create a way of seeing the site of your new home in an entirely new way.
How about adding these criteria to help you design the perfect space?
The New Paradigm
Energy Factors
Solar Exposure
Alternative Energy Sources
Greywater & Rainwater Harvesting
Location on Site (on-slope)
Natural Factors
Growing Season
Native Plants
Soil Conditions
Water Supply and Sourcing
Wildlife Habitat
Wind Exposure
Manmade Factors
Development Potential
Light Pollution
Sound Pollution
Spiritual Factors
Community
Connection to heaven/earth
Connection to the Four Directions
Place for Spirit to Abide
