Homes For The DomelessA Home and Belonging Are Basic Human Rights

GEOSHIPRegenerative Architecture

OUR

COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

P O W E R E D b y S E R V I C E™

PRESS KITDECEMBER 14, 2019

DO

NO

T D

ISTRIBUE

GEO

SHIP

CO

NFID

ENTIAL

VILLAGE BUILDINGCity Repair Project has developed a self-help village-

building model rooted in participatory democracy,

permaculture, and placemaking. Demonstrated results

over 20 years have shown it to be one of the most cost-

effective models for transcending homelessness in the

nation. The transitional village is a place to unplug from

the high intensity city environment and reconnect with

community and the natural world. It’s a cultural place

of self-stabilizing and self-regulating patterns. A place

where a person can learn more about what it means to be

a participant, engaged in a big picture that includes them.

Positive lasting change comes from within, it cannot be

imposed from the outside. Thus we engage the homeless

communities early in designing and building the village.

Each transitional village includes 40-80 resident

members. Transitional villages may be adjacent to one

another enabling a combination of long-term supportive

housing, short-term supportive housing, and permanent

housing. Each village is self-managed by the members,

with some outside assistance. It’s built outside the city

grid system with community-centric design principles.

The village inspires and uplifts its members while

contributing to broad societal dialogues on urbanity,

democracy, social and ecological sustainability, trauma,

addiction, healing, and homelessness.

Transitional villages compliment the city as a whole,

especially in providing places for homeless people to go

who are left with so few choices. Each person who leaves

the village will be stronger and able to contribute more

to the families and communities they reclaim and build.

REGENERATIVE ARCHITECTUREGeoship home building cooperative is using high

strength zero-carbon ceramics to precast the world’s

most efficient structures. (The American Institute of

Architects calls the geodesic dome “the strongest,

lightest and most efficient means of enclosing space

known to man.”)

Today the construction industry uses four primary

material families; wood, metal, concrete, and plastics.

Now we have a fifth family: Chemically Bonded

Ceramic Composites. Bioceramic building panels are

produced rapidly with high quality and low cost. The

all-ceramic composite homes have a design life of 500

years, integrate with local ecosystems, optimize health,

maximize energy efficiency, and revolutionize housing

affordability.

We construct a ceramic precast plant nearby the

transitional village. As affordable regenerative homes

are sold on the market, transitional homes are donated

to the village. The transitional village can grow fast

BELONGING AND HOUSING FIRSTWe’re launching a profit-for-all cooperative

program to transcend homelessness across

the USA, starting in Nevada. Our strategy

combines regenerative architecture, village

building, and a new work paradigm. We build

transitional villages that embody powerful

urban design principles—to strengthen the

original agreements humans formed in the

villages where we first came together—

cooperation, community, and creativity.

Homelessness, addiction, trauma, inequality,

climate change, chronic disease, and loneliness

are all woven into the fabric of modern society.

Thus, our solution lies in a new and ancient

paradigm. One based upon building strong

healthy relationships with ourselves, our

communities, and the natural world.

2 / 4 Geoship SPC©

with an ecological action plan and community-based

processes. Transitional residents become engaged in active

participation, learning skills for jobs with evolutionary

purpose in the regenerative economy.

MARKET-BASED DYNAMICSZappos is on a journey to a new work paradigm. One that

fits jobs to humans, rather than fitting humans into jobs.

This approach to management seeks to mimic existing

complex adaptive systems such as cities, biological

organisms, and free market economies. The goal is to build

organizations that become antifragile (inspired by the

work of Nassim Taleb). Antifragile organizations benefit

from shocks; they thrive and grow when exposed to

volatility, randomness, disorder, and stressors. They love

adventure, risk and uncertainty. Resilient organizations

resist shocks and stay the same, antifragile organizations

get better.

Research shows that every time the size of a city doubles

productivity per resident goes up, but the exact opposite

thing happens in organizations. This is one data point

that reinforces what we all know intuitively—top-down

resource allocation and decision making do not scale. The

secret ingredient is communitas. In communitas we are

all peers. This distribution of power creates enormous

motivation and energy.

Transitional villagers list the ‘menu of services’ they can

provide. Jobs and micro-enterprises are created to utilize

the skills and passions of people, and connect them with

market opportunities.

A NEW SOLUTIONProblems and opportunities are two sides of the same

coin. Of course we propose a self-help model to end

homelessness, because all solutions to all problems reside

in participation and engagement in community with each

other. We also propose a true village model and profit-for-

all business model to integrate all functions of daily life

at a local scale, because when numerous challenges are

brought together they can be met together.

FOR MORE INFO– Clark County Nevada Request For Proposals:

https://docsend.com/view/tijj7pk

– Image folder: Hi-Res Images

– Fast Company Article: http://bit.ly/fc-geoship

CONTACTMorgan Bierschenk

Geoship Founder/CEO

Mobile Phone: (360) 202-0464

e-mail: morgan@geoship.is

HOUSING FIRST

“We are called to be architects of the future,

not its victims.”~ R. Buckminster Fuller

“A revolution in safe, sustainable,

affordable community architecture.”

“The domes are built from

bioceramic—a sturdy,

recyclable material that

offsets CO2.”

“Are these fireproof,

hurricane-proof geodesic

domes the post-climate

change house of the future?”

“Homes For The

Domeless”

RECENT PRESS:

3 / 4 Geoship SPC©

F.A.Q.1 - How will the village address addiction and mental health?

Through community-based processes, restorative

practices (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Restorative_practices), and trauma-informed care

(https://traumainformedoregon.org/wp-content/

uploads/2016/01/What-is-Trauma-Informed-Care.pdf).

2 - What is the policy around alcohol and drugs?

What’s the policy around alcohol and drugs in your

neighborhood?

3 - What are the selection criteria for membership?

We view this through a lens of permaculture. The

demographics of the village will change over time, and

different villages will have different demographics. Certain

types are needed to establish the community and plant

roots. They condition the environment for people of other

types and needs to live together and in mutual support.

4 - What is the village management structure?

Autonomy and self-management are core principles.

Outside facilitators will assist the village members in

establishing self-stabilizing and self-regulating patterns.

The physical design of the village is based upon the

principles of place culture—facilitating communication and

cooperation.

5 -How does this program support itself and scale?

This is mass production housing technology. We replace

all traditional building products with bioceramic-hemp

composites, creating whole new supply chains. The

projected profit margins are so high that we can donate a

dome for every 1-3 we sell.

6 - What do you mean by profit-for-all?

We mean Geoship is a multi-stakeholder cooperative.

Ownership is distributed between investors, associates

(employees), customers, and nature. Cities and homeless

communities all profit too.

7 - How long is the typical transitional period?

The villages will serve needs for short-term housing, long-

term housing, and permanent housing.

8 - Do the transitional villagers have to pay to stay?

Different levels of pay will be required for different types

of housing. The pay required for short term housing could

be as little as $9/month. All villagers will be assisted in the

process of discovering their gifts/passions, and applying

them to serve the needs of the market, within and around

the village.

9 - Do the long term and permanent villagers have any

special responsibilities?

Yes. Long term and permanent villagers will have different

responsibilities than short term villagers

10 - How is the initial capital being raised?

The transitional village and ceramic precast plant

is a profitable cooperative venture. The investment

opportunity will be open to purpose-aligned investors

of all types including: technology corporations, local

governments, and social impact investors.

11 - What success metrics have been measured for

transitional villages that have used this model?

Dignity Village Stats after 20 years of operation (data

collected by City Repair Project and the City of Portland):

– Lowest rate of crime/violence in the whole city of

Portland for a multi-block radius for years running.

– Lowest carbon foot print per capita of all permitted

communities.

– Highest voting rate per capita of all zip codes in

Portland.

– Highest rate of community participation per capita in

the city of Portland (and therefore the entire USA).

12 - Will there be job training or opportunities to be paid

for work?

Yes. All villagers will declare the menu of services they’d

like to provide to the community. Services will be matched

to the needs of the market.

4 / 4 Geoship SPC©