1. Permaculture
Design Project
[address redacted]
Christina Thorbourne

2. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne2
Vision: Mission Statement
Our goal is to design, plant and grow an sustainable
urban permaculture site by the means of edible
landscaping, water catchment and composting
systems and energy efficient planting. The purpose of
this site is to help rehabilitate our urban ecosystem
while fostering environmental behavior and inspiring
togetherness among our residents and local
community.

3. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne3
Vision: Goals
1. Restore the use of the abandoned
lot at [address redacted] and
reintegrate into community.
2. Incorporate plant guild including
diverse species with mutually
beneficial relationships onto design
site.
3. Implement energy saving
measures based on microclimate
design in 10ft perimeter around main
building.
4. Harvest abundant rainwater
resources for design site irrigation
and storm water runoff reduction.
5. Create separate space on rooftop
for farming with the intention to
boost food security for design site
residents.
6. Establish functioning composting
system for design site using on-
premises waste along with local
resources in the neighborhood.

4. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne4
Assessment: Watershed & Bioregion
Both properties are located in Kings County, New York, an area nestled between New Jersey to the
West, Manhattan and Queens counties to the North, Long Island to the East and bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean to the South. Kings County, or better known as Brooklyn, lies within the southern
part of the Atlantic Ocean/Long Island Sound Watershed. Major water quality concerns in this city
are storm water runoff and water pollution, which can be addressed on a local level through
permaculture strategies.
The New York City bioregion covers parts of New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. In October 2012 this
expansive area interwoven by economic, social and
environmental ties was hit the costliest hurricane
ever for the region, with the estimated costs around
$42 billion. Main issues impacting Brooklyn were
storm surge flooding, power outages, and downed
trees. Permaculture practices such as edible
landscapes, rainwater catchment systems and
alternative energy offer ways to address
sustainable disaster preparedness through
self-reliance.

5. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Assessment: Climatic Profile
First and Last Average Frost Date
October 20 through April 18
Record 24 hour rainfall
4.49”
Record low temperature
-15°F in February of 1934
Record high temperature
106°F in July of 1936.
5
Temp
High °F
Temp
Low °F
Rainfall
Inches
January 38 27 3.88
February 42 29 2.96
March 50 35 4.04
April 61 45 3.93
May 71 54 4.43
June 79 64 3.51
July 84 69 4.53
August 83 68 4.13
September 75 61 3.98
October 64 50 3.39
November 54 42 3.8
December 43 32 3.6

6. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne6
Assessment: Aerial & Front View

7. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne7
Assessment: Base Map
1
10
5 6
2
7
8
9
3
4
1: Residence
2: Front Yard / Rose Mallow
3: Street Tree Planter
4: Sidewalk
5: Abandoned Property / Thicket
6: American Elm
7: Raised Bed with Stairs
8: Raised Beds
9: Flagstones
10: Concrete Slab

8. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne8
Assessment: Sector Analysis
Prevailing
Western Winds
Summer Sun Path
Foot Traffic
Street Noise
Winter Sun Path
Unobstructed
Sunshine
South-Facing
Wind Block
High Fence &
Enclosed by Tall
Buildings
Urban Wildlife
Birds, Squirrels,
Raccoons, Feral
Cats
North-Facing
Shadows from
Building, Dark
Shade

9. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne9
Assessment: Elevation View
40 ft

10. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne
Assessment: Zones of Use
1 1
0
4
Entry Way
Entry Way
Gate Entry Way
Sidewalk

11. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne11
Assessment: Water Flow Analysis
Open downspout
coming from overhang
draining onto
[address redacted]
Downspouts for rooftop
and overhang covering
bay window and
doorway into ground
Water Flow
Downspout
Impermeable Surface

12. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne12
Assessment: Rain Fall Analysis
Stormwater runoff is a serious contributor to water
pollution in New York City as a result of urban areas
having a greater percentage of impervious surfaces
which causes rainwater and snowmelt to be swept
away directly into the surrounding rivers and estuaries
instead of seeping into the ground. The design site’s
impermeable surfaces include the front yard, sans
planting area, the rooftop and overhangs, as well as
the concrete slab in the back yard. Brooklyn, NY has
an annual precipitation of 47 inches or 3.9 ft. These
areas produce 31,452 gallons of runoff per year,
which can be harvested through rain catchment
systems in order to use towards irrigating both
properties and to combat stormwater runoff pollution.

13. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne13
Assessment: Soil Survey
According to the
NYC Reconnaissance Soil Survey:
Soil Profile #2: Pavement & buildings,
till substratum, 0 to 5 percent slopes;
nearly level to gently sloping, highly
urbanized areas with more than 80
percent of the surface covered by
impervious pavement and buildings,
over glacial till; generally located in
urban
centers.
Design Site
Soil Profile #2

14. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne14
Assessment: Soil Test
5% clay
30% silt
65% sand
Design site results
indicate sandy clay loam
soil texture at design site

15. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne15
Assessment: Resources for Composting
Greens Browns
Garden trimmings from
yard
Leaves and twigs from
elm tree
Fruit and veggie scraps
from kitchen
Potting soil from indoor
plants
Coffee grounds and tea
bags from home and
coffee shops
Bread, egg shells, paper
towels, and newspaper
from home

16. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne
Planning: Plant Guild List
Common
Nectary
Plant
Shelter
Plant
Ground
Cover
Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Fixer
Dynamic
Accumulator
Pest
Confuser
Edible
Parts
Layer Height
Quince Tree x
Fruit
Medicinal
Sub-Canopy 10 - 20 ft
Red Currant x x Fruit Shrub 3 - 5 ft
Sundial
Lupine
x x x x x Poisonous Herbaceous 1 - 2 ft
German
Chamomile
x x x x
Tea
Medicinal
Herbaceous
Dwarf
Comfrey
x x x x x Medicinal Herbaceous 8 - 12 in
Skirret x x Root Rhizosphere 3 ft
Common
Yarrow
x x x x x Groundcover 2 - 3 ft
Hardy
Kiwifruit
Fruit
Medicinal
Vertical 20 – 100 in
16

17. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Planning: Plant Guild Map
17
Quince Tree
Red Currant
Sundial Lupine
German Chamomile
Dwarf Comfrey
Skirret
Common Yarrow
Hardy Kiwifruit

18. Common Yarrow
Groundcover
Dwarf Comfrey
Herbaceous Layer
Red Currant
Shrub Layer
[address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Planning: Plant Guild Photos
18
Sundial Lupine
Herbaceous Layer
Hardy Kiwi
Vertical Layer
Skirret
Rhizosphere
Quince
Sub-Canopy
German Chamomile
Herbaceous Layer

19. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Planning: Microclimate Design
19
3
2
1
1: Quince Tree
2: Rain Harvesting System
3: English Ivy
4: Rooftop Garden
2
4
2

20. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Planning: Microclimate Design Description
20
1: A south-facing quince tree provides shade which will cast over the front of
the house during summer; however, because the tree is deciduous it will not
block sun rays from passively heating the building through during winter.
2: Rainwater harvesting systems decrease water usage for irrigation and help
combat rain water runoff pollution by slowing runoff down, spreading it out
through irrigation and allowing the water to soak into the ground.
4: A roof top garden provides natural insulation and temperature control for the
building, which can reduce heating and cooling expenses. It also helps mitigate
the urban heat island effect and combats rain water runoff pollution.
3: English ivy along the south-eastern facing facade creates a green wall,
providing a barrier between weather and exposure to solar radiation, which
helps reduce cooling requirements. It also dampens noise pollution and is
aesthetically and visually pleasing to the eye.

21. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Design: The Master Plan
21
1
2
4
5
6
7
3
8
9
10
11
12
4
3
13
3

22. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Design: Master Plan Legend
22
1 Street tree provided by MilliontreesNYC
2 Plant guild (see earlier slide)
3 Rain harvesting system
4 Compost station
5 Keyhole beds (shade tolerant vegetables)
6 English ivy
7 Tool shed
8 Mulberry bush
9 Bird bath
10 Benches
11 Vegetable garden
12 Herb garden
13 Rooftop garden (container gardening)

23. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Design: Applied Permaculture Principles
23
Integrate Rather than Segregate
Usage of dilapidated building structure
Produce No Waste
On-site/neighborhood composting
resources
Catch and Store Energy
Rainwater harvesting for irrigation
Obtain a Yield
Rooftop garden and
community garden for food
Use and Value Diversity
Diverse plant guild with various
purposes

24. [address redacted] • Christina Thorbourne March 2013
Design: Phases of Implementation
24
Phases of implementation allow for financial resources to be spread over a longer period of
time. Because of the limited budget, we came up with a plan as follows:
Now 1 - 2 yrs 3 - 6 yrs
[address
redacted]
Request street tree for planter box
Plant herb and vegetable garden in
backyard
Setup composting station
Implement rainwater harvesting
system
Setup and expand container garden on
rooftop
[address
redacted]
Submit proposal to property owner
and block association and request
access
Conduct soil tests
Remove weeds from property
Apply for beautification grants offered
by NYC
Conduct soil remediation, if necessary
Establish plant guild in front yard
Setup rainwater harvesting system and
composting station
Solicit volunteers for project through
block association, NYC Cares, etc.
Implement changes to rest of property