"The end of the world is not in my timeline, but circling the wagons is." Andres Duany (FC).Here's a video presentation (quite long but very worthwhile) by the influential architect Andres Duany on what he calls agricultural urbanism.
This presentation is a good indicator that resilient communities can now attract significant investment, from where people will purchase a home to where they will invest their savings (as opposed to investing in the derivative vaporware of the financial markets). This is an fortuitous development, since it indicates a way that the current broken system can be bled of the wealth necessary to build its future competitor (in the very same way merchants bled a clueless feudal nobility at the end of the middle ages).
There are also lots of good ideas for those of thinking about how to build (or retrofit) resilient communities. Some highlights:
- The incorporation of food production into the fabric of a community's design (via a flexible zoning system and private contractual arrangements).
- The centrality of food processing (value enhancement) and retailing.
- The need for community level coordination of food production.
Of course, most of what's needed for resilient communities is missing from this presentation. Specifically, the platforms that allow resilient communities to thrive despite global turbulence and a security system that can protect that disproportionate prosperity. Regardless, it's useful as a start.