Building Inside Nature's Envelope: How New Construction and Land Preservation Can Work Together

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About Building Inside Nature's Envelope: How New

Product Description Every year, many thousands of acres of woodlands, deserts, meadowlands, and coastal scrub are turned into home or commercial sites. Ironically, by the time these structures are complete, bulldozers have scraped the land clean of its natural vegetation and character, much of which attracted buyers in the first place. In Building Inside Nature's Envelope, Andy Wasowski introduces a new and exciting technique for salvaging the natural land upon which we build new homes, new offices, or even new shopping centers. Wasowski argues that the unnatural landscapes so common in America literally exist on artificial life support. A natural landscape, on the other hand, is filled with native flora and can exist on rainfall alone. It is, as one builder said, akin to stepping lightly on the earth. To help builders and prospective home owners achieve this "light step," the author introduces the idea of the Envelope, an approach to construction that is cost effective, simple, and environmentally responsible. A structure built within nature's envelope looks as if it has been gently set down into a mature and established landscape--which is the easiest kind of landscape to maintain. He illustrates this new concept in construction through profiles of sites in California, Arizona, South Carolina, Minnesota, and other locales in North America. He also highlights useful techniques for revegetation, discusses the importance of soils, and argues for the preservation and maintenance of natural habitats. Attractively illustrated with 88 pictures--including 41 full-color images-- Building Inside Nature's Envelope offers a practical blueprint for creating a community where both wildlife and human life thrive in a harmonious relationship. From Library Journal Self-styled "botanical missionaries," the Wasowskis explain how to build a house without disturbing the indigenous landscape. Nationally recognized for their books, articles, and slide presentations, the authors are intent upon spreading the gospel of landscaping with native vegetation. In The Landscaping Revolution (LJ 2/1/00), the Wasowskis denounced the Levittown uniformity of the conventional suburban landscape. In its place, they advocated retaining or reestablishing the native ecosystem, the advantages of which include low maintenance, cost savings, and environmental sustainability. Nature's Envelope is a rewriting of that earlier work but with much greater emphasis on preserving existing native plant life during new construction. The "nature's envelope" philosophy is in tune with trends in rethinking urban and suburban development, articulated most notably in Andres Duany's Suburban Nation (LJ 3/15/00) and James Kunstler's Home from Nowhere (LJ 11/1/96). For offering workable alternatives in nontechnical terms to ecologically minded homeowners, contractors, and architects, the Wasowskis' book is highly recommended for all public libraries. David Solt sz, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. Review "When it comes to the global environment, architecture--and architects--face a choice: continue to be part of the problem, or learn to become part of the solution. And Wasowski demonstrates convincingly that the latter is not only possible, but feasible, exciting, and even inevitable. By building within nature's envelope we can avoid inflicting further wounds on the natural world, and so begin the process of restoration."--Don Falk, Society for Ecological Restoration "Andy Wasowski provides a thoughtful approach to achieving harmony between our natural environment and our built environment. The book contains numerous examples of dedicated builders that have successfully implemented many of the techniques described in this book. The need for continuing education at all levels of society to achieve this harmony is a persistent theme that is supported by the National Association of Homebuilders."--Chuck Stewart, President, Urban Forest Managemen