Permaculture-core: what is the permaculture aesthetic?

If permaculture was an art movement, what would it look like?  

Aesthetic is a word that keeps creeping into my life.  It's an easily identifiable set of design principles underlying and guiding the work of an artistic movement.  

We can see this in Art Deco which has geometric lines.  Arts and Crafts with the sparse handmade furniture.  And if something is made by the Elves of Middle Earth, that's immediately recognizable by the beautiful natural flow of lines akin to our art nouveau architecture.  

Art movement doesn't really capture what I'm describing, as art often implies unnecessary.  But aesthetic includes all aspects of life from clothing, to architecture, through our food choices.  How we build something and how we decorate it (or not) is a big part of who we identify with in this world.  Even what we eat is part of it.  

If permaculture-core could become a thing (because putting "core" on the end of words is a trendy way to say aesthetic), I wonder what unifying design principles it would have?

Architecture

Natural building materials like cob have a very distinct look.  

It can be a very simple and practical look



Or full of whimsy like this cob oven





Transport

here is one way to get around



Furniture


textiles

Mending would be a big part of permaculturecore



and whimsy and dragons



Food

and delicious food, as locally grown as possible and in fun, natural colours.



I often think permaculture-core would be a lot like HobbitCore meets Rivendell,  but with a whole bunch more growing goodies and modern conveniences.  

What does a permaculture aesthetic look like to you?  What are some of your favourite moments from permies that belong here?

When I think of permaculture aesthetic I think of gardens and flowers and loads of veggies.

Here are some from some of the forums threads:



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As I think about this, I keep tripping over cottagecore. It feels like there's just a tremendous amount of overlap, but I'd be interested in knowing if that's not how you see it. And if there is that broad overlap, maybe the most fruitful avenue would be to think specifically about the distinctions. What is cottagecore but isn't permaculturecore and vice versa?

Also, this has made me think about age. That Wikipedia article on cottagecore talks about it being a young person phenomenon, which feels legit -- my own kids are 30 and 23, and cottagecore speaks to the younger one. And there's been discussion here about the age of Permies and how it doesn't feel like young people are as likely to move in and engage. I wonder if they're being diverted by preoccupation with cottagecore fantasy instead of getting out and making it happen...or something.

Finally, while I was thinking about this, the word 'permacouture' popped into my head as a related design impulse (I know couture typically refers to sewing, but I also see it describing 'fashion lifestyle' sometimes). (I'm half disappointed and half excited to see that I wasn't the first person to use that word here: https://permies.com/t/206342)

One aesthetic bit that seems permaculturecore is the style of the cottage gardens but everything being edible, medicinal, etc.

In my head, honor-system farm stands fit the aesthetic. https://permies.com/t/243316/Honor-System-Stands-Inspiration

One of the stumbling blocks I have with cottagecore is the perfectionism. Everything is so clean and complete.   We don't see a lot of the progress shots or failures.  

As much as I love cottagecore, it doesn't seem to have room for daily life like permaculture does

For me, gardening tells the story.

Cottagecore gardening is done in a clean dress, with pretty hand tools, and very clean hands.

Permaculturecore gardener has old, repaired many times but it's hard to see for the dirt, clothes.  Either big ass fork for digging taters or maybe some hand to soil action.  Either way, dirty fingernails by the end of the day.

Okay, maybe these are two extremes.  I imagine it's more a sliding scale than one or the other.

Cottagecore


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Permaculturecore


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Very much related.  And yet, I would have a lot of trouble living a cottagecore lifestyle as I couldn't keep the clothes clean.

I find it difficult to think that a single aesthetic covers permaculture. If I were going to summarise it would be "form follows function" design...or maybe that is just my engineering training coming through. But the form also could also be said to follow natural patterns. I've been trying to put some threads together on function of patterns like spirals and waves

spiral in reciprocating roof structure

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waves of a crinkle crankle wall

S Bengi's orchard planting plan based on hexagons

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At first I was going to say take cottagecore, make it messy, and add a couple decades? But the way active permaculture "looks" runs a lot deeper than that.

It needs meaningfully repaired things (not just some cute lacy heart patch where your clothes never rip!) and pockets and layers. Tools that don't look fresh from the shop. Boots that have seen some use, or maybe surprisingly nice sandals made from old tires. Bags and apron pockets and other carry-able storage in useful places. And often, somewhere in the outfit, there's something unexpected. A pretty pendant, maybe a belt buckle or hat that makes you smile.

The landscapes have mixed plantings. At first it looks like cottagecore in a blender.  But then, if you know your plants, you can see what they are and what purposes they may be serving. Hugels and spiral gardens. Gardens where the hardscape materials vary. Things sort of appear wherever they fit, like a bird perch, a small bench, or a "random" pile of debris that's actually lizard housing. Buildings and gates and other structures have been repaired, often several different ways. The fences are real world fences that keep real world critters in and out. "Waste" and "trash" aren't hidden away, they're a part of things. As you look over the space, you start to see the pathways and systems. Sunlight and shade, warmer and cooler areas. Water management. And again, the humor. There's often figurines, hand painted signs, a metal sculpture or something else whimsical.

r ranson wrote:If permaculture was an art movement, what would it look like?  

I often think permaculture-core would be a lot like HobbitCore meets Rivendell,  but with a whole bunch more growing goodies and modern conveniences.  

Wow, what a great topic!! I almost feel bad about quoting just snippets of your posts - but I need to keep it 'tight', for my own reading.

People visiting my garden often have a bewildered look to them; where's the structure, the neat rows, clean black soil?
I think it takes time for a permaculture garden to 'ripen to its beauty', a kind of wabi-sabi, structures settling, finding their place and form (together with the gardener), achieving patina.
For example; in my garden, the structure around things comes after the vegetable bed or planting of a tree or bush has been made, according to its needs. In the beginning I'm all over the place, then step back, look how things are evolving and then get to supporting whatever is going on.

Christopher Weeks wrote:

Finally, while I was thinking about this, the word 'permacouture' popped into my head as a related design impulse (I know couture typically refers to sewing, but I also see it describing 'fashion lifestyle' sometimes). (I'm half disappointed and half excited to see that I wasn't the first person to use that word here: https://permies.com/t/206342)

One aesthetic bit that seems permaculturecore is the style of the cottage gardens but everything being edible, medicinal, etc.

Permacouture - what a great word! What if permaculture = the design principles and permacouture = living it?

r ranson wrote:

As much as I love cottagecore, it doesn't seem to have room for daily life like permaculture does

For me, gardening tells the story.

Permaculturecore gardener has old, repaired many times but it's hard to see for the dirt, clothes.  Either big ass fork for digging taters or maybe some hand to soil action.  Either way, dirty fingernails by the end of the day.

Your writing is juicy :D  And this is so very true - my hands are always dirty in the grooves, no matter how much I try to scrub them clean.

Nancy Reading wrote:I find it difficult to think that a single aesthetic covers permaculture. If I were going to summarise it would be "form follows function" design...
...But the form also could also be said to follow natural patterns.

Form follows function + sacred geometry = permacouture?

:D Thank you all for giving my insides something delicious to chew on! Jumping outside now, to take a look where I can apply some Tolkien-ish permacouture!

I would think it important to toss in another "term of art" (lol) around what I think this is getting at, and that's *vernacular* - which is a more locally evolved set of designs, techniques and stylistic touches that are well suited to a specific climate/eco/cultural context. In essence, there should be many different PC aesthetics, based on where you look on earth and who's invested the time in refining a distinctive yet practical look that holds up well enough to become relatively standardized.

But to answer maybe a little more on target to the original question, I think by far the best example of real working documented comprehensive Permie aesthetic in situ is Ben Law's beautiful coffeetable book, The Woodland Way:

https://ben-law.co.uk/product/the-woodland-way/

Ben Brownell wrote: a more locally evolved set of designs, techniques and stylistic touches that are well suited to a specific climate/eco/cultural context. In essence, there should be many different PC aesthetics, based on where you look on earth and who's invested the time in refining a distinctive yet practical look that holds up well enough to become relatively standardized.

Yes! The permaculture aesthetic would follow the functions required and the materials available in the locale. So stone, cob, wood, thermal mass or through ventilation according to the local climate (and culture).

Vernacular in Chad

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Blackhouse in Hebrides Scotland

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Toba-batak in Indonesia

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Each of these is perfect in it's environment and beautiful in it's own way, but locate in a different climate and the would no longer be appropriate.

While I'm not a huge fan of all of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, I recently read a blurb about his Falling Water house in Pennsylvania (US). His boss and mentor is known for the phrase "form follows function", meaning function comes first, and aesthetics are secondary. Wright, however, said that form and function should be harmonious, and I thought about how that's probably a "very permaculture" thing to say. He tried to make things practical but also ergonomic, with a comfortable flow of movement for people. The Guggenheim Museum in NYC is a giant spiral. I've been in it, and it's wonderful to just keep moving along browsing and thinking, without needing to go to different rooms (which they do have some of) or worry about getting lost as in some other museums or large buildings.  The house in the picture here was built on top of a waterfall that had a lot of big flat rocks. He designed the building to have large flat sections, and built it using smaller flat rocks for parts of it. It is currently being renovated, and people can visit for tours. I suppose his houses and buildings were not built with permaculture in mind as a lifestyle, but on the topic of architecture only, I think he was following the permaculture concept.

I tend to agree with Nancy that permaculture aesthetic is specific to whichever place it’s suited to.

I would also like to share a few book covers, permaculture and adjacent, that may stir some thought.

Christopher Weeks wrote:
Also, this has made me think about age. That Wikipedia article on cottagecore talks about it being a young person phenomenon, which feels legit -- my own kids are 30 and 23, and cottagecore speaks to the younger one. And there's been discussion here about the age of Permies and how it doesn't feel like young people are as likely to move in and engage. I wonder if they're being diverted by preoccupation with cottagecore fantasy instead of getting out and making it happen...or something.

I turned 40 this year, so I'm  probably somewhere between you and your kids in age/demographic. I think a lot of why we don't see younger people is because they get their permaculture "fix" and connection on other forms of social media. A LOT of forums have switched to being largely on facebook. Many of the bigger ones keeps an online forum going, but their facebook group is HUGE and super active. The first that come to mind are MonsterFishkeepers.com which has the Monster Keeper facebook group, with 75.3K members, and Backyard Chickens, whose BYC facebook group has 1.5million members. My husband used to be a part of a bunch of fishkeeping forums...now he just joins facebook groups about them. It's a lot easier to just see some posts while you scroll through facebook or some other social media, then it is to hunt down a forum, remember to go to it, and post to it.

I honestly don't know how many younger people know forums exist, let alone how they work. Permies is normal for a forum, but quite different from facebook, instagram, and even Reddit. "Kids these days" often just search tik-tok for info, rather than google. It's harder to stumble upon permies that way.

K Kaba wrote:At first I was going to say take cottagecore, make it messy, and add a couple decades? But the way active permaculture "looks" runs a lot deeper than that.

That reminds me of "Goblincore"--which is kind of a grungy, mushroomy, knick-knack filled, messy version of cottage core. But, there's not much gardening going on with goblin core--it's mostly woods and knick-knack-filled interiors.

Goblincore (likely an AI generated image)

I think permaculturecore would be some sort of subgenre of cottage core. I think, of the aesthetics mentioned, I think Hobbitcore is likely the closest. It's a bit more messy, has that feeling of whimsy and nature, but is also very practical and down-to-earth.

I think the prettiest pictures of permaculture gardens are the ones that look straight out of cottage core, with herb spirals, cute animals in the garden, wattle fences and natural fibres. I think those images are the ones that "sell" the permaculture aesthetic, even if they're not what our places actually usually look like. But, if I'm taking pictures and posting them on permies (and not in a hurry), I try to stage things to look as cottage-core-y as possible.

Nicole Alderman wrote:

Christopher Weeks wrote:
Also, this has made me think about age. That Wikipedia article on cottagecore talks about it being a young person phenomenon, which feels legit -- my own kids are 30 and 23, and cottagecore speaks to the younger one. And there's been discussion here about the age of Permies and how it doesn't feel like young people are as likely to move in and engage. I wonder if they're being diverted by preoccupation with cottagecore fantasy instead of getting out and making it happen...or something.

I turned 40 this year, so I'm  probably somewhere between you and your kids in age/demographic. I think a lot of why we don't see younger people is because they get their permaculture "fix" and connection on other forms of social media. A LOT of forums have switched to being largely on facebook. Many of the bigger ones keeps an online forum going, but their facebook group is HUGE and super active. The first that come to mind are MonsterFishkeepers.com which has the Monster Keeper facebook group, with 75.3K members, and Backyard Chickens, whose BYC facebook group has 1.5million members. My husband used to be a part of a bunch of fishkeeping forums...now he just joins facebook groups about them. It's a lot easier to just see some posts while you scroll through facebook or some other social media, then it is to hunt down a forum, remember to go to it, and post to it.

I honestly don't know how many younger people know forums exist, let alone how they work. Permies is normal for a forum, but quite different from facebook, instagram, and even Reddit. "Kids these days" often just search tik-tok for info, rather than google. It's harder to stumble upon permies that way.

I used to be on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest quite a lot ten-fifteen years ago, they now come across as shallow and idle to me. My son turns to Reddit for information, and uses Discord to socialise online.
Permies is like a secret World to discover on the world wide web... Let's plant some roadsigns yes, but keep the noise out...I thoroughly enjoy the quiet space here to read, share, think and communicate.
What would Gandalf's home and garden look like? Hmmm...

I don't know about Gandalf, I think of him as more of a wanderer, however I like this depiction of Granny Weatherwax's house:


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Not full of stuff, but nice details like the moon on the bench she is sitting (while borrowing), wildlife and flowers integrating in the garden, a house that looks like it has evolved rather than being built....

Granny Weatherwax - totally. I was thinking about something from Sven Nordqvist's books - his worlds are kind of what I'd imagine Permaculture-core to be like. A joyful, functional, harmonious union of several different kinds of utter chaos...

Some of the age component is perhaps that people saw Paul’s thread on not sharing one’s age, and took it seriously.

Something I feel is important to mention is that permaculture is about depth, about complexity and function and what goes on unseen, underneath the surface, deep in the soil. Or the complex intertwining of polycultures that may have gone on that way for decades. So in my estimation permaculture art displays a deep understanding of the landscape and ecology.

I don’t know how much permaculture it is but I do love the style of George Inness:

found this in the archives



I don't know if it would fit permaculture-core or not.  It's got that revolutionary poster counter culture thing going on.  But it also says to me that gardening is a powerful thing. That matches well with my understanding of permaculture.

I haven't seen "solarpunk" pop up yet, but certainly for the younger tech-saturated prosocial set, that's probably a good subgenre to include. It does land in more of the aspirational/fantasy realm, but overall I think "aesthetic" is a statement of either or both aspirational and affirmative (demonstrated) values. Good commentary vid here:

I was going to mention solarpunk as well, but Ben already brought it up.

I think the "punk" part is important since permaculture is often about anti-establishment, making do with what you have and being true to yourself.
Just look at the pic of Joseph that was put up. That is a pretty punk look he is rocking!

I also agree that the look will, and should, vary based on where it based. For those of us in the north, it can be a mix of cottagecore, rustic, country and dark academia with some punk roughness and bits of whimsy. Real fabric curtains, because you need the temperature buffering. Carpets on wood or tile floors. Real books on shelves since we need references and winter reading. Nordic style painting on wood. Decorated mass heaters. Things will be mismatched because they are handmade, found secondhand or upcycled. Avoiding plastics and modern paints/sealants will give a softer colour palette as well from the aging wood and exposed metals.

Oooooh! I love the  Sven Nordqvist's art!

I've been thinking about this a bit today, and how "aesthetic" is different than reality. Aesthetic is the goal--it's what I want things to look like when people come over. It's what I want my pictures to show.

In my permaculture aesthetic, there's no plastic or made-in-china junk. I don't have pictures of my kids plastic slide, but rather the wooden logs the use as balance beams and the swing set my dad made out of pallets. It's my duck house free of cobwebs and with all fresh bedding. My day-to-day reality is a deep litter method and quite a few spiders, but that's not what I photograph and that's not what I *want.*

Photographs aside, I also remembered the things I've drawn that show permaculture. I like handdrawn stuff, and watercolor, and milk paint and natural colors. I like  art nouveau and Tracy Wandling's art in Building a Better World and Homegrown Linen. I think of botanical drawings that are both stylized and realistic.  

Of course, I don't always have the skill or time to make things look the way I want. Years back, Paul wanted brainstorming for a cover his SKIP book. A lot of people posted pictures of their ideas for a cover, and it ended up being a really neat collection of people's permaculture aesthetics. I tried to envision my ideals for permaculture. I wanted it to be full of food growing every, cute animals, people of all ages and demographics doing all sorts of permie activities. It came out like this:

This was the brainstorming, so I quickly cleaned up my sketch and colored it in photoshop. I wish it were painted

One time, for fun, I sketched out for my kids a Choose your own homestead adventure maze, and I think it sums up my ideas of a permaculture aesthetic pretty well!

I saw this on facebook just now--such a nice visual of permaculture!

I love that style of book art. It's like the best of the back to the land movement from the 1960s and 70s, with a bunch of Audrey Hepburn, and a pinch of arts and craft, William Morris aesthetic.

Another book cover (this one has a lot to answer for! )



Neutral and natural colour palette, hand drawn aesthetic, simplified blocky shapes, but full of practical details.

I call this practical aesthetics

Underconsumptioncore sounds like it would fit nicely into permaculture-core.

This video is about applying it to art, but there is a lot of good there we could borrow for our quest for a permaculture aesthetic.

Area aesthetics- Pallets and pallet based structures, raised beds everywhere, composting areas vs composting bins, shelves of canned food, and a significant older book library. Animals, rock jacks, bio char barrels, various piles of sundry matter. Cast iron and stock pots.

Personal aesthetics- Repaired, stained and tattered work clothing. Tools on the person. Liberal use of shoe goop, a favorite pair of overalls, every car is a work vehicle in some way.

Cottage core, etc, is about a pseudo-nostalgia and FB dopamine stimulation.  It presents a false picture of the life. We all know people, or know of people who have "moved out to the land" and been dismayed that homesteading is an endless process that is much harder than living in an apartment, van, or a suburban house.  

r ranson wrote:Underconsumptioncore sounds like it would fit nicely into permaculture-core.

This video is about applying it to art, but there is a lot of good there we could borrow for our quest for a permaculture aesthetic.

In my experience with creativity, having a limitation to options is always a boost for creativity. Too many options and I get the procrastination-freeze.

The buildings would vary by location due to varying needs for varying locations. For example, permaculture houses in Houston would focus on keeping cool, while permaculture houses in Alaska would need to focus on stay warm. I'm picturing using natural, locally available materials which would further add to the diversity of a permaculture aesthetic. Reused and upcycled materials and objects would also be used to prevent waste. Sustainable houses often look different than a McMansion not only in size, but the overall aesthetic is just different in a way that I don't really know how to describe. I think personalization would be important. A family with kids needs a larger house than a couple or single person. In addition, having different hobbies means needing different spaces. If someone is an artist, they get a studio. I don't need an artist studio, but a greenhouse and workshop are priorities. Basically, I'm picturing smaller houses that focus on common areas and hobby spaces over individual bedrooms. In addition, there would be common areas through a community. For example, a swimming pool takes lots of upkeep. Having a community swimming pond would be more efficient than having a swimming pool for each house. In addition, it would build community. Most people don't need a guest bedroom. They need an air mattress or a multi-use space (ex: an office with a pull out couch). A permaculture aesthetic would focus on meeting our (and our community's) needs without overconsumption. Plants would be used as art, natural lighting would be a priority, and indoor/outdoor living would be a priority. A food garden integrated into the house would also be an important piece.

Jeff Lindsey wrote:Area aesthetics- Pallets and pallet based structures, raised beds everywhere, composting areas vs composting bins, shelves of canned food, and a significant older book library. Animals, rock jacks, bio char barrels, various piles of sundry matter. Cast iron and stock pots.

Personal aesthetics- Repaired, stained and tattered work clothing. Tools on the person. Liberal use of shoe goop, a favorite pair of overalls, every car is a work vehicle in some way.

Cottage core, etc, is about a pseudo-nostalgia and FB dopamine stimulation.  It presents a false picture of the life. We all know people, or know of people who have "moved out to the land" and been dismayed that homesteading is an endless process that is much harder than living in an apartment, van, or a suburban house.  

Jeff, that's awesome. And bang on target.

But of course when you and I look out upon this magnificent chaos we see a halo on every sacred object. As it should be. Cheers.

Lauren Pfaff wrote:The buildings would vary by location due to varying needs for varying locations. For example, permaculture houses in Houston would focus on keeping cool, while permaculture houses in Alaska would need to focus on stay warm. I'm picturing using natural, locally available materials which would further add to the diversity of a permaculture aesthetic. Reused and upcycled materials and objects would also be used to prevent waste. Sustainable houses often look different than a McMansion not only in size, but the overall aesthetic is just different in a way that I don't really know how to describe. I think personalization would be important. A family with kids needs a larger house than a couple or single person. In addition, having different hobbies means needing different spaces. If someone is an artist, they get a studio. I don't need an artist studio, but a greenhouse and workshop are priorities. Basically, I'm picturing smaller houses that focus on common areas and hobby spaces over individual bedrooms. In addition, there would be common areas through a community. For example, a swimming pool takes lots of upkeep. Having a community swimming pond would be more efficient than having a swimming pool for each house. In addition, it would build community. Most people don't need a guest bedroom. They need an air mattress or a multi-use space (ex: an office with a pull out couch). A permaculture aesthetic would focus on meeting our (and our community's) needs without overconsumption. Plants would be used as art, natural lighting would be a priority, and indoor/outdoor living would be a priority. A food garden integrated into the house would also be an important piece.

I would interpret what you are saying as what I would call, a house (& land) that fits the people. Not too small that they are feeling cramped and uncomfortable in it, or that they cannot find enough space to do what matters to them; nor too big that it contains areas that have to be maintained by servants or machines. The people fill their home fully.

(Does this seem like it fits with what you are saying?)