Land Planning & Sacred Geometry's Influence with Phill Tabb

Today we're talking to Serenbe's master land planner, Dr. Phillip Tabb. Phill discusses sacred geometry and the spiritual and symbolic side of planning and architecture. He also reminisces about the all-nighter he had before the Serenbe charrette - where the omega shape for the neighborhoods took hold - and the weekend he, The Nygrens, and many other friends came together to build Serenbe's stone labyrinth.

Definitions, People + Organizations Mentioned

• Transect-  Used by Biologists and ecologists to study symbiotic elements  in habitats where specific plants and animals flourish.

• Photovoltaic (PV) System- A system composed of one or more solar panels combined with an inverter and other electrical and mechanical hardware that use energy from the sun to generate electricity.

• Bill Browning
• Marie Nygren
• Pleasant Peasant
• Rocky Mountain Institute
• Robert Marvin
• Keith Critchlow
• Robert Lawlor
• Charles Brewer
• Laura Heery
• Andrés Duany
• Dr. Jorge Venegas
• Chartres Cathedral
• Michelangelo
• Chattahoochee Hills
• Southeastern Engineering
• Gainey Hall Gallery

• Andrew Thorburn
• Nygren Placemaking
• Biophilic Institute
• Seaside
• EarthCraft
• Hannah Solar
• Tesla
• Routledge Publishing
• Tim Beatley
• Biophilic Cities
• 1973 Oil Embargo
• Department of Energy demonstration grant
• 1983 Solar Energy Tax Credit
• Fibonacci’s Kite

Full Episode Synopsis

Introducing Dr. Phillip Tabb & Steve To Each Other - 2:39

Dr. Phillip Tabb was a department head at Washington State University when he first talked with Steve Nygren. Steve called him on the recommendation of mutual friend Bill Browning, because Steve had questions about sacred geometry. Phill visited Georgia in January 2001 - for the first time - and gave a two hour talk about sacred geometry and land planning that resonated deeply with The Nygrens. In addition to connecting to the concept of sacred geometry and how it could be applied at scale to their community project, he mentioned the Selborne hamlet in East Hampshire, England, which is where Marie's mentor had lived. It seemed meant to be.

Bringing Sacred Geometry To Serenbe - 5:26
The Nygrens had traveled to Selborne, England several times over the years and had become enamored in the English village system with footpaths, and started to learn more about the laws that made these dense hamlets and vast countrysides. Alice, Marie's mentor, had been actively involved with the local movements where sacred geometry was a part of it. She knew important thought leaders in the area such as Keith Critchlow, and was a part of restoring various sites such as crop circles and Stonehenge. She introduced these concepts to Steve and Marie as well as it's connection to the English village system.

During the charrette with the Rocky Mountain Institute, Steve asked Bill Browning if he knew someone that was well-versed in concepts of sacred geometry. At that point Robert Marvin had been hired to do Serenbe's land plan, but Steve felt he wasn't clustering as much as Steve would have preferred. Robert's plan was less dense, with properties being spread out and individuals having larger plots - similar to traditional developments we see today. His team did a presentation the same day that Phill had, and everyone could see that it wasn't what Steve wanted. Steve and Phill decided to go for a walk, where Phill told him he couldn't lay sacred geometry on an existing plan. Steve asked what they could do, and eventually convinced Phill to do the full plan.

What is Sacred Geometry? - 11:09
Phill trained with Keith Critchlow and Robert Lawlor when he was a student of sacred geometry. At it's simplest form it is just geometry, so what makes it sacred? Phill said it's tied into intention and symbolic qualities. Various geometric systems, particularly those with immeasurable qualities, resonate with the human body - especially golden mean. Pharaohs in Egypt and ancient Greeks and Romans designed buildings in these systems because of this as well. When you go to a sacred building, you begin to resonate with that space.

Examples of this phenomena would be Chartres Cathedral, where there are many layers to the design from the Christian to the platonic, as laid out by Pythagorus himself. There's also color symbolism in the portals meant to evoke different stories of the life of Jesus Christ. The ancient pyramids are another example, as well as Renaissance paintings like those by Michelangelo.

Dr. Tabb ended up creating a sustainable urbanism graduate program when he was working at Texas A&M University. Talking about things sacred can be "touchy, especially conservative Texas," so Phill shifted to talking about the concepts while using "safe" language such as "placemaking." He believes this term also embodies spiritual ideas.

Returning To Serenbe - 17:32
Phill and a student returned to Serenbe a few months later to begin the work of planning. He led another charrette the next morning, and after dinner that evening they were going to take time to design to present the next day. Phill, Laura Heery, and members of their team set up in the Hawthorne Room at The Inn. As the night wore on it ended up just being Phill and his student, and that is how they came up with the omegas (horseshoes) and found four separate spots where one could exist.