[Pil-pc-oceania] More Permaculture in the Arabian Desert

[stevehart at maxnet.co.nz]

More Permaculture in the Arabian Desert

A little storm is brewing here in the Arabian Desert....what with Masdar
city having all the exposure and fraudulent spin from the great Lord
Norman Foster, other developers have joined the race. With Blue City in
Muscat Oman and another on the dwg board in Bahrain we have yet another in
Dubai...the capital of all felic symbols. I've been asked to put together
a concept design with figures for an organic sustainable community for
10,000 population. I'm automatically suggesting an absolute edible
landscape with wadis (Arab Swales) Green Roofs with a major accent  on
vertical gardens. Could anybody hazard a guesstimate of what area it would
take to feed 10,000 people. OK in the terraces of Nepal we could guess a
ratio of 1person to 200sqm....Consumerist USA 1:2000....a middle ground
1:1100....has anyone got any experience or story from any family living
very well off their own back yard....Could I guess that if we stacked to
the max we could achieve a family of 5 living really well off a 500sqm
plot. This design will have 5 storey development so there is the
opportunity to really work the vertical...through balconies, windows,
conservatories and espallier.....Your thoughts...thanks Steve Hart