Design balcony

Location

Red highlight shows the location of the balcony. North is up. Map courtesy of OpenStreetMap © OpenStreetMap-auteurs

Meta data:

• Timestamp: 2018-12-01
• Location: Terra, Europe, Germany, Noordrijn-Westfalen, Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf, Kreis Viersen, Tönisvorst
• Latitude / longitude: 51.326N / 6.478E
• Height: 37m
• Population of Tönisvorst: 29286 (2017)
• Climate: Moderate maritime climate

Sketch balcony

• 4m deep x 4.7m wide
• access door to balcony
• access door to small storage area under the roof
• balcony fence approx. 1m50 high
• balcony faces south by south-west

9 ways of observing

• I wonder...
  • how much harvest can come from such a small space
  • if this design can inspire others
• Observe energy
  • sun
  • rain
  • wind
  • people
  • cats
  • wood for stove
• Observe flow
  • people using the balcony
  • fetch wood
  • sit on balcony
  • wild animal visitors
  • cats
  • sun flowing across the balcony
  • wind blowing across the balcony
  • water / rain coming from the roof, flowing on / around the balcony
• Observe communities
  • Ilona and Stefan
  • house cats
  • human guests
  • neighbors
  • birds
  • plants
  • other wild animals
• Observe patterns
  • wave
    • summer / winter
    • day / night
  • net
    • balcony fence
    • pergola
  • sheet
    • balcony surface
    • roof
  • scatter
    • pots
    • other loose elements
• Observe edge
  • pots
  • fence / balcony edge
  • Stefan is handy
  • Ilona has gardening experience
  • house
  • one side interfaces with neighbors (at a distance)
  • balcony at the top level, other (similar) balconies underneath
• Observe limits
  • Ackerhelden is more of a focus for Ilona
  • all materials and plants need to be hauled up two flights of stairs
  • lacks shading from sun and wind
  • maximum weight for balcony
  • bamboo too small for wind break and onlooking neighbors
  • small surface
  • water availability
  • budget
  • time
  • energy
  • too much jungle - not appreciated
• Observe from stillness
  • closer to the house is less wind and view is shielded from neighbors
• Observe past & future
  • Past
    • Ilona has sucessfully grown courgette and pumpkin in pots
    • cats used pots for defecation
    • pergola regularly gets blown over
    • no notable problems with slugs
    • Ilona uses balcony more than Stefan
  • Future
    • beautiful plants
    • shield from wind
    • limit view to neighbors
    • require little maintenance
    • require little watering

Ethics

• Earth care
  • water harvesting
  • reuse and recycle materials
  • create habitat for insects and birds
• People care
  • provide rest and relaxation
  • inspiration for others
  • provide kitchen herbs and a small harvest
  • party
• Fair share / Future care
  • permablitz
  • share harvest
  • share plants
  • trade plants
  • trade seeds

Holmgren principles

• Observe and interact
  • water flows
    • from the roof into either
      • a gutter above the window / door to the apartment and gets redirected along the side of the roof to
      • the gutters at the lowest part of the roof
    • from the roof gutter it flows down into another gutter connected to the bottom edge of the balcony floor
    • the water gets funneled to the side of the building where it falls down a drain pipe
  • the side gutter seems just big enough to hold a 25mm garden hose by friction to divert water
  • the new balcony fence is very sturdy and relatively high
  • the balcony is tiled
• Catch and store energy
  • water harvesting by connecting hoses to the gutter
  • create wind break to improve microclimate
  • use lower right wall as a tromb wall to catch solar heat
• Obtain a yield
  • kitchen herbs and small harvest of fruits
  • beautiful, relaxed environment
  • drinking water production possible by filtering through garden beds
• Apply self regulation and accept feedback
  • self-watering systems
  • in-situ composting
  • choose plants that need little water
  • mulch and use ground cover to prevent evaporation
• Use and value renewable resources and services
  • catch, store and use rain water
  • use kitchen waste
  • use gray water from kitchen
  • use cat manure
• Produce no waste
  • compost kitchen waste
  • use gray water from kitchen
• Design from patterns to details
  • close to balcony door what gets used frequently
  • watch catchment high and close to gutter
  • mobile sitting area to choose between sitting in the sun or in the shade
• Integrate rather than segregate
  • invite neighbors!
  • bench for sitting, growing plants and storing wood
  • table holding rain barrel can also be used for growing plants in pots
• Use small and slow solutions
  • rain barrel
  • in-situ composter
  • self-watering pots
  • use plants to limit view of onlookers
• Use and value diversity
  • many different plants = much habitat
• Use edges and value the marginal
  • use balcony edge to grow plants against, like Indian cress or grape
  • use sunny wall for climbers
  • allow wild plants to settle
• Creatively use and respond to change
  • new neighbors
  • cats peeing in pots