Los Osos Urban Homestead
~ Level 2 Whole Site Design ~
Level 2 – Whole Site Design
Location: Los Osos, CA
Project Scope: 7th Generation Design developed a Level 2 Whole Site Design for the residents (including one of us) of a 1/7th acre urban property in the coastal California community of Los Osos. Infrastructure already in place included a small house, multiple sheds, and a flagstone terrace retained by masonry blocks. The extremely fine, hydrophobic sand on the property supported overgrown non-native grasses and some ornamental plantings. A basemap of existing conditions on the property is shown below.
Existing Conditions Basemap
Key Design Criteria
The residents developed the following shared vision for the property: to be a beautiful, serene, low-maintenance, functional, and sustainable home environment that will provide nourishment for the bodies, minds, and spirits of the residents and friends who pass through, and connect and inspire the local community.
- Spaces that facilitate and encourage gathering outdoors with community during varying light and weather conditions
- Spaces for the residents to express themselves creatively during varying light and weather conditions
- Growing 50% of the fruit and vegetables, 25% of the meat, and 100% of eggs the residents consume on-site
- Outdoor play spaces for kids of all ages
- Systems that minimize the requirement for imported resources/materials (water, electricity, natural gas, soil amendments)
- Elements that provide privacy, security, and coastal wind reprieve
- Dog friendly areas
- Systems that facilitate local travel by non-vehicle means
- Opportunities to cover a percentage of property overhead through income produced from on-site activities.
Design Map
Design Elements
| Element | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Curb cuts | Storm-flow infiltration into soils instead of storm drains. | Location: East uphill street boundaries to direct the significant amount of street runoff that currently runs by the property into a “dry creek bed” around the east and south sides of the property. |
| Fedge (Food Producing Hedge) | Visual privacy screen that also produces food. Will help to discourage trespassing and reduce wind. | Located between the east and south street/parking areas and residence/outdoor gathering areas – 4-5 foot high at the southeast property corner to provide provide a welcoming arrival for guests and facilitate conversation with neighbors; 6-8 feet in other areas. |
| Fencing | Viewscreen for neighbor privacy. | Located along north and west property boundaries. |
| Outdoor Kitchen and Dining Area | Warm season cooking and gathering for larger groups that the house cannot support. | Flagstone patio with picnic table and outdoor kitchen containing a wood-fired rocket oven, Santa Maria style grill, sink that drains to landscape, prep surfaces, and fuel-wood storage, and small adjacent drought-tolerant lawn area for gathering. |
| Perennial plantings | Food and medicine, pollinator attraction. | Zone 1 around house and outdoor gathering zone. |
| Food Forest | Food, medicine, biomass production. | Locayed in the orchard area on the map, will contain fruit trees with under-story support species |
| Flow Through Vermicomposter | Nutrient Cycling | Located on cooler north side of the house to convert food waste into a ready-to-plant soil amendment. |
| Rabbitry | Nutrient Cycling, Food Production | Located on cooler north side of the house to convert food waste into a ready-to-plant soil amendment. |
| Chicken Coop | House free-ranging chickens at night. | located near vermicomposting unit/rabbit pen. |
| Fenced Food Production Zone | Keep dogs and chickens out of primary food production zone. | Will encirle the permanent raised beds, mulched paths, cold frame, and potting table for annual vegetable production. |
| Greywater System(s) | Irrigate avocado trees. | Laundry and shower water directed to landscape using a branched greywater system. |
| Daisy-chained Water Storage (see gallery below) | Rainwater storage, emergency water supply, supplemental irrigation. | Comprised of six 55-gallon drums on an elevated deck at the highest point on the property. Integrated with house and shed rain gutters for rainwater collection, with overflow directed into water-infiltrating depressions in the food forest/orchard area. |
| Nursery And Honor Stand | Plant propagation, plant sales to local community. | Nursery area (air prune beds and mist propagation bed) for propagation of vegetable starts and perennial shrubs and trees, with adjacent street-side honor stand for the sale of plants, chicken eggs, worm castings, compost tea, and crafts to the community. |
| Coral Zone | Kids play area | Climbing tree, teepee, small picnic table, fairy flowers. |
| Rocket Mass Hot Water Heater | Water heating with free stick fuels | Located on west side of house, integrated with hot water storage tank located in utility closet. |
| Diamond Pile | Materials storage yard/thermophilic composting zone | Located along west fenceline of property, with gated drop-off area. |
| Bicycle Parking | Visually obscured area for parking bikes off the street | Gated access, will help deter opportunistic theft of human-powered transportation |
| “Future Zone” | Guest accommodations / dance and meditation yurt | Stay tuned! |
Daisy-chained Rainwater Storage System
