This document summarizes an urban permaculture design project for the San Francisco Zen Center. It describes the Zen Center's three sites - City Center, Green Gulch Farm, and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. It then analyzes sectors like sun, wind, water, and wildlife at the City Center site. Several areas of the City Center site are selected for potential design projects - the Laguna Street sidewalk, main courtyard, roof, and side courtyard. Goals, visions, and potential elements are proposed for enhancing each of these areas through permaculture principles like closing resource loops and increasing sustainability. Next steps and challenges for the project are also discussed.

1. San Francisco Zen CenterUrban Permaculture Design Project Carlos Augurto Cristina Correa Cristiane Ferreira UC Berkeley Extension November 15, 2010

2. San Francisco Zen Center City Center: Hoshin-ji (Begginer’s Mind Temple) Green Gulch Farm: Soryui-ji (Green Dragon Temple) Tassajara Zen Mountain Center: ZenShin-ji (Zen Mind Temple)

3. Principles and Precepts

4. Beginner’s Mind Temple 1922 - Julia Morgan Difficult corner site Natural lighting throughout Originally the Emanu-el Sisterhood Residence Later wartime duty as headquarters for female military personnel Bought by SusukiRoshi in 1969… Practice center, residence, refuge, classroom

5. Summary The site Project goals Selected areas Area goals, vision, assessment Project elements Questions remaining

6. The Site Octavia St. Laguna St. Buchanan St. Buchanan St. Oak St. Page St. Haight St.

7. 300 Page Street

8. SFZC City Center Zones

10. Sectors Sun (C) Wind (C)(D) Water Rain (C)(D) Potable (B)(D) Waste (C)(D) Practice cycles (C) GGF, ZMC (C) Wildlife Pests (B)(D) Pollinators, etc (C) People (C)(D) Residents Staff Guests Sangha Students City Silence (C)

11. Sectors

12. Project Goals Close resource loops to conserve energy and mass and preserve carbon onsite Build on existing successful solutions Walk the talk… Efficiency Impermanence

13. Selected Areas Laguna Street sidewalk Main Courtyard Roof Side Courtyard

14. Laguna Street Goals Vision Assessment Elements

15. Laguna Street - Goals Improve aesthetics Improve access Reduce runoff

16. Laguna Street - Vision

17. Laguna Street - Vision

18. Laguna Street - Vision

20. Laguna Street - Elements

21. Main Courtyard

22. MainCourtyard

23. Main Courtyard Sector Analysis The sun rises on the west side of the building, it sets to the east. Sun distribution on-site: North edge (south facing): full sun (summer) / shade (winter) South edge (north facing): full shade East edge: morning sun West edge: afternoon sun Wind pattern: The main wind pattern is blocked by the high building structure. The courtyard does not have big wind concerns as the plants are protected. Rain pattern: the rain hits the concrete and then the rain water goes to the soil and the plants, and to the drains to the city’s sewer system. Maybe this soils gets more rain water than the average, as the rain hits the concrete and moves straight into the soil. Wildlife: Pigeons regularly come by to enjoy the birdbath. Sometimes there are hummingbirds. There may be other birds. Several spiders have made a home amongst the landscaping. There are also fish in the pond and snails everywhere. Soil: The existing soil in the garden is bad and old. And it is the same to the boxes. To know exactly physical properties, type, structure should be done a test. The soil has not been amended in a long time.

24. Main Courtyard Sector Analysis Technical problems on-site Soil; The planters by the windows are full of pests (cutworms),; Not much people to keep the maintenance; The planter boxes could be considered underutilized; The building has had pest infestations in the past. Rats and bed bugs are a concern. Available on-site energies People: Guest students, residents, visitors, employees; Machines / tools: gardening tools, green house; Wastes: Water, organic matter, time; Energy: Solar – Photovoltaic panels; electrical; natural gas.

26. Connections chart

27. Visioning Soil needs renovation. The planting plan needs to be re-organized. Incorporate useful and interactive things: food plants, education activities, flowers for arrangements. Research existing plants, their care, their needs. Creating a plant i.d. list with caring tips to make gardening transition and cooperation more accessible. There seems to be interest from residents. Gutters and rain collector (cistern) could be installed depending on where it is going to be used and where we are collecting it, and the existing drainage pattern.

28. Goals Plants that attract Butterflies for shade areas. Bring natives to the landscape. Planters – remove the plants with pests, they are in the wrong environment. Keep maximum manually irrigation. Soil regeneration, regenerate instead remove – Ommmmm… Create plants ID to integrate the residents and make the maintenance easier. Rainwater system: The size of the “tile roof over loggia” is 44” x 11’. Permitting approximately capture 751 cubic feet of water/month or 5,617 gal/ month Principle #9, without requirement of much energy or funding, and being low cost. Educational garden.

30. #1 – the sign will be in a “bunch” close to a rock, where the person is invited to observe and interact. It is a “sit spot”, where you sit, take your time and observe. #2 – the sign will be in a plant to show and to make to think that the plant is catching and storing energy. # 3 – the sign will be at the fountain, where supposable lettuce could be planted around it. # 4 – the sign will be in a spot “full of dead leaves”. Courtyard self-regulation: no water irrigation in the winter; dead leaves naturally spread around the ground; permitting the nature make her job. #5 – the sign will be at the “cistern”, and it will be the symbol for education. A cistern in a Zen Center! #6 – the sign will be in another “dead leaves” spot. Nature leaves no trace; a picture explaining that it will be turned into mulch. #7 – The nature reason behind the pattern. A maple tree spot could be the example of a pattern year cycle. Also the fountain could be a symbol for the ocean, where life comes (cycle of the fountain / cycle of the water). A study of pattern. #8 – in a spot where plants are watered by hands. Bringing people and nature close together. Close the contact of person and plant and human valuing the work that come from hands. #9 – Watering can near a pot as a symbol of how you slow things down and make more efficient solution. If the Center runs out of energy, they can irrigate the plants. #10 – bring a native to the landscape and the sign to symbolize diversity. #11 – in the surface of the soil, where is an edge between the life above the soil and human life. #12 – in any part of the garden, showing that the creation of an educational garden is stimulating the creativity and imagination in people and the associations they do through the garden, getting rooted into their lives

31. Timeline and budget The rainwater system to the courtyard area could cost around $6,000 with cistern in polypropylene and installation. It takes around 1 month. http://www.tampabaywater.org The signs could be hand made using recyclable materials. Cost around $5 per sign, being $60 total for materials and volunteers could make the art design. It might take 2 months within finding recyclable materials, buying extra materials like light paints, brush, pinheads and start working. The plants price and installation depends in which will be chosen, not estimated.

32. Side Courtyard Goals Vision Assessment Elements

33. Side Courtyard - Goals Enhance aesthetics Improve access Reduce runoff

34. Side Courtyard- Vision Project was a success because it created a beautiful, usable environment in what was previously a dark corner of the building

35. Side Courtyard - Vision

37. Side Courtyard- Elements

38. Side Courtyard- Elements

39. Rooftop Goals Vision Assessment

40. Rooftop- Goals Improve wildlife habitat Increase green living space Produce food/herbs Reduce urban heat island effect Reduce runoff

41. Rooftop- Vision Creating a green oasis that produces a yield and is viable for wildlife and pollinators To introduce urban beekeeping to SFZC

42. Project Elements

43. Next steps… Parking spot in front? Rainwater harvesting for bathrooms? Window planters in rooms? Consider project phasing and budgeting, based on SFZC available resources Upcoming challenges: Aging monks Deteriorating infrastructure New needs