What A Day At The Joinery Could Look Like

A rendering of the exterior of The Joinery. Credit: Jones Design Studio

When we describe The Joinery as a "community-minded residence," some of the first questions we get are "Who's going to live there?" and "What will it be used for?"

Once completed, The Joinery has to prove a year of performance, showing that it meets the requirements of the Living Building Challenge™. Building owner Nathan Pickard and his family will live in the residence during this time as The Joinery's first host family.

But we envision many more uses for The Joinery than just a place to leave and come back to every day.

As a regenerative building, The Joinery will give more to its surroundings than it takes. We will have highly efficient systems in place to operate at net positive energy and water. Our hope is for The Joinery to welcome neighbors throughout the day because its design not only permits but encourages it.

This project aims to redefine what a zoned, single-family home can be in a neighborhood. Here are several ideas we have for The Joinery—a "community-minded residence"—once it's completed.

Morning

— Exercise, stretching, and meditation.

— Breakfast shared and sourced from Tisdale Food Forest and nearby urban farms.

— Human-Powered Producing: Woodworking, weaving, sewing, cooking, and art-making.

— Quiet, communal space to read, study, and work remotely.

Lunch

— Rotating vegan/vegetarian chefs share lunch in our kitchen on weekdays.

Afternoon

— Human-Powered Producing: Woodworking, weaving, sewing, cooking, and art-making.

— Quiet, communal space to read, study, and work remotely.

Dinner

— Rotating chefs teach cooking classes and share dinner in the kitchen.

Evening/Weekend

— House concerts featuring local and visiting musicians.

— Film and documentary screenings and discussions.

— Educational classes on economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

— Human-Powered Producing: Woodworking, weaving, sewing, cooking, and art-making.

— Tours of The Joinery, Tisdale Food Forest, and urban farms in the area.

Night

— The house is designed for hospitality, so the host family can invite other individuals/families for short-term stays to learn about regenerative living.

(If you have an idea, let us know in the comments!)