RURAL AGENCY'S METHOD
Our work is based on six guiding principles for sustainable rural planning. ​They serve as both vision and mission for our day-to-day work. We work to implement these principles in physical rural planning and architecture and to disseminate them to other actors in a rural context.
The six principles are formed out of one crucial experience in our work: rural spaces are highly complex and the future requires a significant change in our approach to rurality as such. For us, the six principles serve as pillars in a multidimensional approach to rural spaces which have to comprise a wide range of functions on little space.
RE-GENERATE
Whether it is soil erosion or biodiversity loss, we are currently taking more from the countryside than we are giving back. We advocate for a regenerative approach to rural planning that focuses on supporting the entire ecosystem and critically reflecting on how humans interact with the natural environment. We believe that we need to look at the entire picture, even when planning a hectare, and support nature’s regenerative processes one step at a time.
RE-SOURCE
The efficient use of resources implies making use of resources available on site - again and again. We believe that whenever possible rural communities should be stakeholders in their own infrastructure and have decision power in relation to the management of their own resources such as energy supply, drinking water, waste recycling and biodiversity. By bringing together different stakeholders around efficient and sustainable resource management in rural areas we can bring new synergies to work locally - what is waste in one perspective may be a resource in another.
RE-EDUCATE
Many rural communities face brain drain and a loss of local knowledge. However, the future demands that we act with purpose and a profound understanding of the local context in order to meet the complex demands on rural spaces. We believe that all rural development projects should local knowledge transfer and enable the community to develop and manage its own future.
RE-CONNECT
Data-driven technology and AI are altering the conditions of rural spaces and changing the future perspective for the countryside. It is vital that we understand the impact of future technology on a local level and support open-source strategies and democratic uses.
RE-INVEST
Investment is a key factor in sustainable rural planning. It can be nature conservation schemes, education, sustainable housing, or production; many rural areas today face a financial gap in terms of investment. We believe that better rural investment systems are needed to initiate local reinvestments and create a visible local impact. We have taken the first step ourselves and have become a non-profit organization dedicated to reinvesting our profits in rural causes.
RE-USE
The countryside has been witnessing a demographic transformation, and the social and structural changes that have swept through many rural areas have had significant material. Obsolete and leftover buildings and infrastructures in rural areas need reconception and transformation. As architects and planners, we specialize in reusing the rural past for the rural future.