synthegrative
Evolving the Field – Part 1
The excerpt below comes from the final chapter of our book, The Integrative Design Guide to Green Building: Redefining the Practice of Sustainability. This chapter foreshadows where we were headed then and speaks to what it is we are really working on now. A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS The bottom line is that we need to change the field of development. In the bigger picture we need to change the way that human beings inhabit the planet. The good news is that our experience has taught us that the process of [...]
Does LEED add Value to your Projects?
In your previous experience with LEED has it added value to the project beyond attaining the owner’s goal of achieving certification and receiving a plaque? Or in your previous experience has LEED felt like more of a paper shuffling exercise with a convoluted set of rules and requirements? We hold the strong conviction that LEED has the potential to add considerable value to the project’s design if engaged with the right mindset and process. An integrative process entails a deliberate attempt on the part of the design team to [...]
Exploring New Project Possibilities through a Beginner’s Mind: Omit the Checklist
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” - Shunryu Suzuki Every day, every week, month and year we’re given a clean slate. Every day is a day to start anew. It’s normal to fall into habitual ways of doing things, we all do it. When we catch ourselves defaulting to our old modes of thinking, it provides us with an opportunity to create something new. Of course, some tasks, such as brushing our teeth, require less of us and don’t necessarily [...]
The Thanksgiving Address: Remembering and Giving Thanks to the Natural World
"Beginning with where our feet first touch the earth, we send greetings and thanks to all members of the natural world." - Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass When we open our eyes to the world around us, we can see there is much to be thankful for no matter what time of the year it may be. While we may get lost in the shuffle on any given day, a quick step outside along with a deep breath reminds us that we're not alone. The damp soil beneath our [...]
Manifesting Quiddity
“Nobody is superior, nobody is inferior, but nobody is equal either. People are simply unique, incomparable. You are you, I am I. I have to contribute my potential to life; you have to contribute your potential to life. I have to discover my own being; you have to discover your own being.” - Osho You are entirely unique. In the whole history of human kind there is no one like you. Even identical twins are absolutely idiosyncratic. One of one, unlike no other. All other living beings are also [...]
Energetic Fields
"Every thought, action, decision, or feeling creates an eddy in the interlocking, inter-balancing energy fields of life. In this interconnected universe, every improvement we make in our private world improves the world at large for everyone." - David Hawkins Did you ever arrive at a meeting late and when you walked into the room you sensed something terrible had been discussed and the room felt heavy? In the same vein, have you ever arrived late at a meeting and felt you had just missed an amazing breakthrough and that everyone [...]
About
Of course we made up synthegrative, so don’t try to look it up. This “word” reflects our approach to thinking, learning, projects, story and process. It combines real words, synthesis – a combination of ideas to form a theory or system, and integrative – serving or intending to unify separate things; to create a systemic vision of wholes which are greater than the sum of their parts. This reminds us that our work in regenerative design must begin with working on whole systems and not just the parts.
Our synthegrative posts will explore our thoughts, beliefs and ideas. We will share news about our events, our projects and our work. We will tell our story and the stories we find along the way.