Update #1 - Introduction & Survey
Take the Survey Here to help us design your Micro Home Village
Is There Any Interest In A Micro Home Community In Revelstoke BC?
My name is Adrian Giacca, I’m a freelance landscape designer and been living in my tiny home camper van for the past 2 years. This experience of working remotely and travelling for months at a time throughout Canada and the United States has been an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling endeavor. During my travels I met many people who also wondered if they could live tiny or entertain the idea of experiencing a life on the road.
So I began to wonder, could I design a place that would allow people to live simply, connect deeply and contribute to a vision greater than themselves. With that in mind, I traveled by camper van to live in ecovillages and co-living communities, participate in workshops learning natural building, and studying permaculture sustainability practices. These places inspired me and taught me what works and the challenges I could expect to encounter.
By the end of this journey I accidentally found myself in Revelstoke. What was meant to be just a pit stop turned into 2 weeks; I got Revelstuck! I absolutely fell love with the culture, the outdoor wonderland, and the strong sense that this is a heritage community and not just another resort.
As much as I wanted to stay I couldn’t find anywhere to live. In late November there was nowhere to rent and I wasn’t prepared to continue living out of the van for the winter. So I went back home to Ontario. So I thought to myself; if I was going to return to Revelstoke I want to contribute to the community by creating a place for people like me who want to reduce their carbon footprint, live within community, all while being permanently affordable.
This is the vision I hope to share with those interested. When I speak of developing land in harmony with nature I intend on protecting the land, studying it and learning how to live on it without clear cutting forests and excavating the soil that could be providing us food.
The main goal of this project is affordable housing. With this in mind we can work with the municipality, apply for grants and receive support from organizations searching for ways to solve this housing crisis.
We aim to engage community by creating social spaces and shared amenities where people can connect, collaborate and contribute to the village and the larger community of Revelstoke.
Lastly, the vision addresses practicing a balanced lifestyle. This means creating space for yoga, meditation, and naturalistic healing. By living mindfully we can raise and grow our own food all while connecting deeply with those around us.
Throughout my design career I’ve taken an interest in lifestyle design and the social and environmental connections outside of our homes. I found that the ‘American Dream’ many of us were taught to achieve in life is changing. With rising costs of living and an affordability crisis throughout Canada we find ourselves spending up to 30% or more of our income on the roof over our heads rather than the experiences and social interactions that bring happiness and joy into our lives.
Revelstoke is a rapidly changing community and because of tourism it can quite easily become just another overly priced resort destination. People from around the world are choosing to live here, but with lots of jobs and nowhere for people to live affordably, is this community sustainable?
I invite you to ‘Think Smaller.’ I envision a property with a growing number of pocket villages with up to 10 units. Each one designed to suit the needs of the people choosing to live here. We’ll have single bedroom dwellings with shared communal amenities, while other units will provide space and comfort to families and the elderly who may need more assistance. The property will allow us to grow food, raise animals, congregate together in shared social spaces like fire pits, dining and lounge areas.
An emphasis will be placed on creating private unique rental accommodations. I believe adults shouldn’t have to pay a large sum of their income to share a room or a single house with 9 people. We deserve our own space all while having the opportunity to connect deeply within community.
We have an opportunity to be intentional with our homes, designing them to suit our needs while creating an abundance of fulfillment in our lives, freeing up clutter and time to pursue the projects that are meaningful to us and engage in the activities that have brought us to Revelstoke.
So I asked, “Is there any interest in a micro home community in Revelstoke BC?”
This was the post I made on ‘Revelstoke Community’ Facebook Page:
The responses I received to this post was incredible. Over 200 people interacted with this message and shared their interest and enthusiasm for an idea like this in their community. The next day my email inbox was filled with letters of intent to move in, contribute land and share their ideas on how we could live mindfully and create a space that promotes it.
Armed with the interest of the community behind me I met with the City Planners of Revelstoke to gauge whether or not they would entertain this concept. Before even having the opportunity to share my presentation I was advised that I was not the first person to present this idea to them, that others before me have tried but for whatever reason they never presented a plan for approvals.
After my presentation I was told that if I am going to be the one that brings this co-living concept to Revelstoke, I would need to be patient, transparent with my intentions and prepared with everything the city would need to move forward and approve this project.
I left that meeting inspired to move forward and begin the process of connecting with the leaders of Revelstoke, learning more about what this community wants and calling this beautiful town my home. I encourage you to connect with me personally and share your vision by taking the survey below. This is how I can ensure that development in Revelstoke is sustainable because people like you have a chance to design where you call home.
Thank you for following along :)
Adrian Giacca
adrian@remotelandscape.com
778-220-6797