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Since World War II, suburban sprawl, strip
development and the advent of the automobile has lead to the decline of
healthy and vibrant neighborhoods, village centers, and cities. As students in architecture school two
colleagues and I designed Dimetrodon in response to
this breakdown in development in the U.S., providing a working
model of a more environmentally sound pattern for growth. We developed this
community as a cluster of apartments around a common courtyard, which left
the majority of the land undisturbed or used for agricultural purposes. Begun in 1971, before the oil embargo and
rise of gasoline prices, the design incorporated innovative solar, wind and
wood energy systems. Much of the
design and construction of Dimetrodon was done by
the owners and users, keeping average unit costs less than $50,000. Dimetrodon is a
successful example of self-help, affordable housing that has continued to
exist as a thriving community of more than 20 adults and children since its
beginning.
This project has been recognized internationally
as an innovative example of renewable energy community housing. It has been written about in 6 books,
French, Japanese and U.S. architecture journals,
and numerous newspaper articles. It
has been included in 4 exhibits in the U.S. and Italy.
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