Well, if there was ever a place where I might hit pay dirt by shoveling in the dark, this is probably it.

The Civil Engineering firm for whom I work is involved with the design of a 'compound' (for lack of a better term; it's sure not your typical subdivision or development) and we have to adhere to the design principles of Vedic Architecture, a design philosophy invented and propagated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (You know, the guy who floats in midair when he meditates. )

Googling has gotten me some good background information, but I would like to converse with someone who has direct experience if possible. Most of the information I can find pertains to the design of the structures. I need to know more about the infrastructure, such as providing utility services, roads, drainage, etc.

The problem is that Vedic Architecture is new to this area (Bluegrass region of KY), and we are the first company around here to do a major design (of which I am aware). I'd like to talk to someone who has either worked on one of these designs or lived in/worked on/built/repaired a Vedic home. In particular, I'm interested in the methods for supplying the homes with services like water and septic. There are rules governing what happens within a Vastu, but we are uncertain how much leeway we might have outside of one. Further complicating matters is the fact that we have a Community Vastu that contains some of the individual residences with their associated Vastus.

So if anyone can weigh in, or provide me with some more resources, it would be much appreciated.

If you are interested or curious as to what Vedic Architecture is all about, here are some links:
http://vedicarchitecture.org/
http://maharishivediccity.net/

This is one about an influx of the Maharishi's followers on a small Iowa town:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/tm/tm5.html

Shoveling in the dark, for air, with a teaspoon is more like it.

I think the people here can tell you how it relates to reality, but to ask for what is in the limits of the belief would be outside of the realm of the usual banter.

In other words, I would be astonished if a regular here would know.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

I used to think that about most things in regard to this forum, but one thing I have learned: At BAUT, there is someone here from every walk of life. I remember not too long back someone posted a specific software question for AutoCAD. There are other forums for that, but BAUT worked just fine (and faster too). That is actually what inspired me to post here rather than on yet another designer's forum.

I'm not asking about the belief system really, just what the belief system says about their ideal design. I care less for the belief system than maintaining good relations with the client. Who, incidentally, is not an engineer and cannot help with our questions. Apparently, there has been much more focus on publishing material that deals with the architecture and not much about dealing with the engineering.

I think it is safe to say that there will be people on the forum who know what I'm talking about, but like you I am much less confident that I will run into someone with answers for me. The odds are against me, but if you play the whole internet by the odds, then this is the table where I am most likely to win.

Besides, I've gone through about every other option I have short of shutting myself away for a couple days of dedicated research. Like most designers, we have deadlines. Surely there are some people out in the world who can help me, and with any luck one of them frequents this forum.

Would love to help, but my only experience in religious architecture is of the Christian variety. Mostly Bapist and Methodist, with an Eastern Orthodox thrown in for flavor.

My best advice is to get'em as close to what they want as the local Zoning Ordnance allows. I believe the usual philosophy applied is "Render unto Caesar..." The big thing, especially when you're jumping into a completely new set of requirements like this is to sit down with them, let them tell you what their ideal arrangement is, then work to best fit that into the site with all the proper setbacks and other nonsense.

Religious structures for worship are almost immediately an A-3 use, per the building Code, and that can give you some idea of what the theoretical population would be for the purposes of sizing utilities, access roads, parking to the site. Give them a first draft run, then modify based on what the actual building design team (architect/mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineers) comes back with.

LZO is part of the problem. One, it's a private compound. It's in the county, and subject to only minimal regs as a result. Also, technically it's not a religious structure, or really, a religious anything. It's more like a philosophy -- think Feng Shui, but on a residential scale. Sitting down with the clients gets us information like "Fresh water can only enter the residence from the north, and waste water must exit to the south." This tells us where things need to go, but not the best way to integrate them to the actual structures themselves. It's little things like that that keep slowing me down.

Things such as what would be the most 'harmonious' method for running a sewage line underneath a water line. Normally, there will be restrictions set forth by the local government: the water line will always be at a higher elevation than the waste line, and there will typically be a layer of poured concrete between them to minimize any chance of cross-contamination through the soil (in the event of a massive leak), etc. etc. But I can't find any information that tells me if this is permissible in Vedic design. The clients are really representatives of the owners, with whom I can't speak right now. And the clients don't know enough to help me.

But thanks for the assistance so far guys. I'm still holding out for a designer, builder, or knowledgeable occupant.

There's some very nice Vedic architecture in India, but I'd get in trouble here if I were to link to pictures of it.

Just say that it's amazing the contortions the human body can get itself into.

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A person's name, or a mark representing it, as signed personally or by deputy, as in subscribing a letter or other document.

I split off the AutoCad discussion as it was seriously distracting us from seeing answers.

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And the "driving on the freeway on a scooter" analogy still holds true because the pilots are sitting in 7 to 30 ton aircraft o' doom and you are running around them in your very own Meatbody, Mark I. Beep, beep.
Trying to make sense of computers, The Error Log.

I lived in an apartment complex built to fung shui principles. I loved it.

The vedic principles seem to focus on nature (wood, green plants) and the central quiet space with raised central roof, and celestial alignment, with a focus on the east. The buildings shown in the above links dont look to deviate much from traditional american style buildings.

What about composting toilets, much better for nature and no pipes needed. Grey water can then be filtered and used to water the abundant gardens. This system is much more "in harmony" with nature than traditional plumbing solutions.

The houses in the links dont look very "in harmony with nature" to me. I think that Balinese style homes with lots of poles and wood looks and feels much more at home with nature. A commitment to using only plantation wood is also more in harmony.

My gut feeling is that this vedic architecture will be used to squeeze extra dolllars out of investors, while only delivering window dressing "harmony".
Prove me wrong. Knock em dead!!!

That's the impression I get. Did you get a chance to flip through thier guide? What a bunch of...

Anyway, it is tied so closely to directions and terrain that it would be impossible to do without hiring somebody to design it. Sounds like a ready made market for architects or consultants.

Autocad

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

Thanks. . . . I was starting to think that I should have started a new thread.

You hit the nail on the head regarding positioning/terrain. Apparently the developers had to look for a long time to find the parcel of land that suited their requirements; as it is, we have to regrade a HUGE acreage of land (all of it is only about 4-6 feet above bedrock) so that it slopes to the east.

They originally wanted it to be perfectly flat, but forgot that rainwater would pool on a tabletop -- so we designed a slight grade (still far flatter than if we had been left to our own devices).

When our surveyors went out to shoot in the site, they weren't allowed to use geographic or magnetic north: the surveyor had to go out at night and establish North uisng Polaris.

Regarding houses that don't look 'harmonious' with nature: That analogy (comparing Vedic design with Fung Shui) was completely my own (as is the use of the term 'harmony') and not 100% accurate. Close, though. I get the general impression that the Maharishi is more about 'one with the universe' than anything else. It's certainly not about squeezing money from investors -- there aren't any. We are designing for the owners who will live there with a few other followers. They are going with environmentally responsible septic systems, however, using septic tanks and a leach field to treat sewage. (I don't know but they may be doing this just because they are so far away from city-managed sewers.) They wouldn't water their crops with this grey water; I haven't looked but I just about guarantee that it would be unacceptable or even offensive to them.

It's easy to see that there is a large possibility of pitfalls, if one doesn't know enough about what's going on. The good part is that every time we tell them something can't be done, they give us more money and say "Find a way." So I can't complain too much, I just wish I could learn more about what I need to know.

Thanks for the interest everyone. I'm still holding out on an expert. I'm starting to think I'd be better off looking for the brother of Piltdown Man in my closet.

Well, so much for being in harmony with nature.
Maybe not in this case, but I'm sure Maharishi Global Construction is raking in a captive market.

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Numbers are not case sensitive. (me)

Since Googling the words 'maharishi' and 'construction' really only bring hits on that company, I'd say you're right.

Feh, what's natural about a ratty hippy guru who salad picks his eastern philosophy to suit his own reality disconnected visions?.