Finding the Soul in the Built Environment
Zoom Regenerative to return for 2024/2025 themed series on Sept 10th
From talking with others, I know I am not alone in missing the Zoom Regenerative conversations with the awesome community that has grown over the three-year life of the 'Zooms. However, the current break has allowed reflection and wonderful chats around shaping what the upcoming series of ZR should explore.
And the good news is that Zoom Regenerative is all set to return on 10th of September.
(re) Finding the soul of the built environment.
Our world is changing around us, and we find ourselves at a crossroads, increasingly questioning the essence of how we shape and inhabit our surroundings, and how our human spaces and systems profoundly influence our lives, communities, and the health of our planet. Whilst, we see the rise in regenerative and sustainability themes, it is unfortunately still a niche area. Yet, somewhere along the way, have we lost touch with the soul of spaces and places we develop?
Against this backdrop, I am delighted to launch a year-long journey of exploration of finding the soul in what we do as the next ZR series theme.
With monthly online and possible in-person gatherings, we can co-creatively explore how mindfulness, regenerative, and a renewed sense of place can transform not only our physical structures but our relationship with them, each other and nature. From design, planning, and construction practices to community engagement, we'll dive into what it means to create environments that can nourish our spirits, foster connections, and regenerate our ecosystems.
You will be very welcome to join us, to share your valuable insights, and engage in conversations on what will be a transformative exploration.
We can explore aspects such as; historical context, connection with place, human-centered design, beauty and health, authenticity and uniqueness, sensory experiences, emotional resonance and resilience.
We can and should go deeper in exploring these themes and the many others mentioned over three years of Zoom Regenerative, namely, the inner regenerative, the soul we bring to our designs, constructions and consulting, how we manifest our mindfulness practices, how we recognise and sense interconnectedness, our role in ecosystems, our emotional, spiritual and sensitivity traits.
We can take insights and be inspired by thinkers, architects, urban planners, and writers who explore themes related to the soul of the built environment and our deeper connection to spaces. Many of whom have been mentioned or surfaced on previous ZRs For example: Stuart Brand (Building Layers), Christopher Alexander (Pettern Language), Jane Jacobs (community-oriented urban spaces) Jan Gehl (Life between Buildings), Yvonne Chounaird (not using the word sustainability) and Schumacher (bringing mindfulness into the construction process) to name a few.
And wider, thinkers who bring unique perspectives to the conversation about our relationship with the built and natural environment, and thinking of those who have featured on Regen Note posts or other writings, such as Satish Kumar (interconnectedness of human well-being, the environment and community), Alastair McIntosh (how our connection to place and community can inform more soulful and sustainable ways of living and building), Iain McGilchrist (how we perceive and interact with our environment influences how we design and inhabit spaces), David Abram (relationships between human perception and the natural world), Wendell Berry (importance of local communities and connections to the land), Joanna Macy (deep ecology and our psychological relationship with the environment) and David Hinton (Wild Earth, Wild Minds).
Apologies if this reads as a list of themes and thinkers, yet this area is wide in its scope, concepts and context, yet all interconnected.
A regenerative soulful future is not just about design, and we should also explore these concepts in the construction and FM sectors. We can explore … mindful construction practices, crafts and skills, sonstruction and FM stewardship, sensing and honouring place, circularity, resources and more.
We will kick off in September by exploring the tension between creating a truly regenerative built environment and in pursuing certifications, awards, and accolades, asking the question are certifications and awards hampering or enabling?
I am delighted that Sophie Lacey will join us for this edition. Indeed it was her LinkedIn posts on awards and certifications that led to a wonderful conversation and shaping this first in the soul series of Zoom Regeneratives.
Future sessions will include conversations with Ann Vanner on October 15th (Is the Soul at the core of Building Layers),
… with Nicole Craanen on November 19th (HSPs in the Built Environment)
… and with Fiona Gray on December 10th (Storytelling and Writing for Children)
Who and what else should we be exploring, who would you like to see sharing ‘soulful’ insights in this series?
You would have noticed above that I mentioned a physical meet - this is a seed that I have planted and looking at how a ZR and Regen/Notes retreat or event in Lancashire in spring 2025 could work, with guests (maybe some of those writers and thinkers mentioned above). It is early days for this, but I would love your thoughts.
Regen Notes are postcards … from where I am, what is in my thoughts. and what I am doing in the regenerative space …
I love this theme...this is so important now, more than ever. I would love to suggest taking on our stories of personally profound moving experiences in nature. I interviewed dozens of people for my new book on this topic - several of whom are in this community - and it was clear to me that there is a reluctance to sharing our most moving stories, for many reasons. And I do believe that sharing these stories can have a profound shift in those that hear them.