To build a sustainable, self sufficient, ecologically sound
community and cultural centre on the island of Naxos in the Cyclades,
Greece. To make a positive contribution to the wider community of
Naxos. To grow, to evolve and to give back, to the land and to the
community of Naxos.
We are looking for 200 to 300 supporters who are
prepared to give some of their time and invest a small amount of
capital in the project.
If you cannot get involved yourself, please support
us by passing this message on to as many people as you can (even if
they are not interested, they may know someone who is).
Please scroll down for more information.
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Photograph© Isabel Theron 2013
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The Temple of Dimitra or Demeter,
Naxos c. 700 BC
Dimitra (or Demeter) is the Greek goddess of fertility.
Her
temple on the island of Naxos was the first to be built completely
of marble including roof beams and tiles. She is very beautiful.
Design Principles for
the Dimitra project
Off the grid; rainwater capture
and conservation (Naxos receives as much rainfall annually as East
Anglia in the UK); photo voltaic generators; possibly wind turbines;
possibly Peldon wheel water turbines; composting toilets; grey water
capture and reed bed filtration; wood fueled stoves and cooker –
grow enough biomass on site to provide own fuel.
Straw bale, local stone (marble,
limestone, emery) minimal use of concrete other than that required
by authorities to make building earthquake proof. Straw bales
provide good thermal insulation for both hot and cold weather (it
snows on Naxos in the winter). Natural ventilation systems (NO air
conditioning)
No WIFI or mobiles except
for emergencies
Grow own food.
Permanent community of 1 – 5
bodies.
Accommodation for up to 20 guests.
Courses – sculpting Naxos
marble, painting, poetry and writing, guided walks on Naxos, drama,
eco-building and sustainable horticulture, photography, sailing,
wind and kite surfing, cycling, horse riding – use local
talent as much as possible.
Retreats – silent, guided,
meditative, yoga, Zen.
- A chapel / meditation space.
Click here to email Dimitra
Plan
Find and purchase site (4 in
prospect) – large enough and appropriately located, with
access, existing buildings (ruins for preference) and water supply.
Build single room and cistern,
composting loo(s), site access, install stoves.
Plant / restore orchards and
vegetable patch.
First water capture channel at top
of the site, feeding the main cistern (which will also take water
off the roof).
Install photovoltaic generators
and electric water pumps
Extend house – on going.
Build second cistern at base of
site to receive reed bed filtration system run off for grey water
plus rainwater run off from rest of site.
- Extend water capture system – channels and cisterns.
Rebuild / repair terrace walls. Complete buildings (accommodation
for 20 guests, loos, chapel, course / classroom building).
Proposal
Raise enough capital to buy site and complete phases 1 to 4 above
(€60-70,000).
We will be putting all
our available capital into Dimitra and
expect to do all or most of the work in phases 1 to 4
ourselves
i.e. at no charge to Dimitra (other than
our
subsistence costs and the cost of materials etc). Photovoltaics and
other work requiring particular expertise will be sub-contracted, if
necessary – ideally we
will be able to
recruit experts as members
or temporary
volunteers.
Further fund raising and guest / course revenue will be used to
fund phases 5 – 8 and whatever follows.
We intend to sell shares in Dimitra at say €200 each, to
raise the capital needed. Shares can be purchased by a group (we are
well aware that young people would find it hard to raise €200
and we want the demographic of the community to be as varied as
possible). Each share would entitle the owner to a certain number of
free days in the community per year i.e. for accommodation and food.
Everyone, whether staying for free or paying to stay (daily rate to
be decided – may be covered in whole or part by additional work
on the site), will be expected to make a contribution to the daily
life of the community, in any way that they can e.g. helping with
building projects, gardening, administration, perhaps running a
course). We would also like to able to offer bursaries for young
people, especially from Naxos itself.
The Dimitra Trust will be incorporated in Greece as a not for
profit charitable trust, with a guiding board selected by the share
holders. In addition it will of course have an auditor / accountant
and a lawyer, publish quarterly progress reports and audited annual
accounts.
Dimitra
has a website, its own email
address, and a Facebook page, to communicate with supporters and
shareholders and to promote Dimitra and its courses and other
activities to the wider world.
Permanent occupants
should own at least
one share and help to pay for their food and accommodation with work,
money or goods and services in kind (e.g. photovoltaic, electrical,
mechanical, building or horticultural skills).
Guests (excluding their free entitlement) will have to pay a
certain amount each per day and help out, and pay course fees where
applicable. Course charges will be transparent and kept to the lowest
practicable level (i.e. to cover direct costs, plus a small
contribution to Dimitra). This is another reason for using local
artists and other talent to run the courses whenever possible. Course
places will be open to people staying elsewhere on Naxos.
Send no money now! When Dimitra has been incorporated and has its
own bank account we will be in touch again. In the meantime, if you
would like to support us and participate please let us know how many
shares you potentially would be prepared to subscribe for.
All of the above are only suggestions – i.e. all interested
potential shareholders will agree how Dimitra is set up, financed,
controlled, and its rules and constitution.
Click here to email Dimitra
Something about Naxos
Naxos is the largest island in the Cyclades, in the
Aegean. It is approximately 50 kilometres north to south and east to
west although actual road distances can be considerably more as it is
very mountainous. It has the highest mountains in the Cyclades and
gets snow and frost most years. Thanks to natural springs parts of
the island are heavily wooded and, by Aegean standards, very lush.
It feeds itself,
producing
4 crops of potatoes a year
(it supplies
most of Greece). Many family tavernas only sell their own produce,
including meat, wine and cheese. Rich culture going back 7,000 years.
Dimitra's temple was built in 600BC. There is an ancient aqueduct
(actually a ceramic pipe) that was built at the same time that
brought fresh spring water to Naxos city from springs at Flerio, 12
kilometers away. Parts of the pipe can still be seen, following the
contours down from the hills.
The old city of Naxos is a warren of tiny streets and delightful
little shops and tavernas, built from the 12th Century when Naxos was
part of the Venetian Empire – the streets were designed to
confuse pirates who were a big problem at that period. And as a
result many Naxians moved inland to the mountains to avoid the pirate
attacks. Thanks to the Venetian influence, Naxos boasts a fine
Catholic cathedral as well as hundreds of Orthodox churches and
chapels, many of them on top of mountains.
There are fine museums in Naxos City and many ancient monuments
and Venetian towers all over the island. Naxos really invented
monumental marble sculpture in 7th century BC (basically it's made of
the stuff – they are in the process of removing the tops of two
mountains which are solid marble). Naxos has a permanent population
of about 20,000, which rises to 180,000 at the height of the summer
season – this puts a considerable strain on the island’s
infrastructure, especially its water supply which
can
become more or less undrinkable in July – 160,000 people taking
a shower twice a day is a lot of water. Pure spring water is
available through public taps around the city and the island.
Tourism
came relatively late to Naxos and it has perhaps as a result retained
a lot of the character and characteristics of pre-mass travel Greece,
socially and economically, away from the western coast around the
main town where most of the tourist resorts are to be found. However
a lot of previously cultivated land has been abandoned as people have
moved to the towns and jobs in the tourism industry, and to the
mainland.
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Apeiranthos – a traditional mountain village
in the north east of the island
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Kinidaros – a lush, green valley below
the modern marble quarries
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Naxos (Hora) – the old Venetian
citadel, seen by night from the Palatia
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The Portara temple, on the Palatia,
whose arch looks towards Delos
Image ©
Eleni Kapiri 2013
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Dimitra –
all content © David Simpson 2013
