Paul's original vision of an ARC

From HUG Wiki

A very efficient layout would be long buildings stretching east and west across a farm field. About 100 feet of crop space is between buildings. Tallest trees are just north of the buildings. Roof space is water capture and/or more crops. Roads come only to the ends of the long buildings. Most regular traffic is by foot or electric cart in the greenhouse atrium hallways. Restaurants, factories and the like will pop up near the roads. Mini businesses such as video rental and sandwich shops might be found along the hallways; sometimes operated from within residential units.

The south side of each building would be a tall greenhouse and solar capture area. The south half of the greenhouse is for plants and water processing. The north half of the greenhouse is a public hallway; an indoor street that shares space with a food producing jungle. Together, we will call these spaces the atrium. North of that is living units and small businesses.

In the living quarters, most likely the kitchen and bathrooms will be facing the greenhouse. They can tolerate potential noise in the greenhouse. They will also have floors that are raised 3 or 4 feet above the greenhouse floor. This makes the windows higher, for privacy. It also allows simple composting bins directly under the toilets and sinks. These bins are accessed in the greenhouse space.

Bedrooms will be along the north wall so they have legal exit windows. Outside the north wall of each living unit is a patio and back yard. For solar access reasons, this area has the tallest trees. Assuming that another ARC building is north of you, the plants get shorter as they get closer to the next arc, about 100 feet away. A simple dirt road divides the 100 foot yard in half. It is the alley that provides rare access for emergency and delivery vehicles. It also separates your back yard from your neighbor's front yard.

Each living unit will have three kinds of yards to suit your moods and the season. Outside your greenhouse is the sunny front yard and garden. Go outside your north door for a shady, heavily treed back yard feel. During cold or rainy weather, the atrium greenhouse is the tropical paradise right outside your kitchen.

In practice this layout will only be approximated. The real thing will be much more varied and interesting.