Six Tenets of Unfolding:
Cultural Patterns are Essential

Respect for what has proven successful, for the past and for the future.

Good form comes harmony with the land, appropriate building materials, and the harmony with social structures and life styles. We do so much building with no sensitivity to what is there. In New Mexico the pueblo indians have, for centuries, built villages. First comes the large open plaza oriented to include the views on sacred mountains. Much living, working and eating is done outdoors and on roof tops. Well-intentioned government agencies force tract houses all in a row. In parts of India the traditional streets are lined with wide verandahs for work and socializing and breaks for market places. Now towns are laid out to save a few dollars on sewage pipes. Homes in Kentucky have a tall wide entry that serves as entrance, orientation and cooling system. Homes in Vermont call for something different.

Respect for culture does not mean constricted deadened limitations and copying. It means a deeper understanding of the land, climate and living patterns of social life.