The Hill Thalis master plan physically defines the Narara ecovillage. The master plan is set out in the Design Report included in the development application for stage 1 works and is reference in the design standards for homes built on the lots created by those works.
The masterplan envisaged recasting of Narara agricultural research station into an vibrant ecovillage.
The architect as master planner has been influenced by Robert C. Gilman who defined an ecovillage as “a human-scale, full-featured settlement in which human activities are harmlessly integrated into the natural world in a way that is supportive of healthy human development and can be successfully continued into an indefinite future".
With this objective Hill Thalis has sought to design an intergenerational, inclusive community fostering rich and friendly relationships; incorporating sustainable environmental and ecological technologies based on permaculture ethics: care of the Earth, care of People and Fair Share;-adaptive reuse of existing buildings and infrastructure;-on-site power generation;-integrated on-site water cycle management including potable water production,stormwater capture, tertiary treatment of sewage, and reuse of the treated effluent.
Hill Thalis goals reflect those of ecovillage community and are incorporated into the NEV Building Standards and Guidelines through its Building Design Scoresheet in the scoresheet tab titled 'Hill Thalis' the content of which is also provided below:
