Frequently Asked Questions About Illichville:
What is Illichville?
Illichville is the first American city built for the Post-Industrial Age. Illichville is designed for sustainability, self sufficiency and for the health and happiness of it's citizens. Right now, Illichville is just pictures and words, but we hope it will become a reality soon.
Why an entirely new city?
Most American cities were built for other purposes than sustainability. Mostly trade and industry. Over time they have sprawled to such a degree that we think it would be easier and less expensive to start from scratch. There are plenty of rural areas left in the American Midwest and elsewhere that would welcome one or more Illichvilles. Also we are aware that most Americans are not ready to give up their cars, fast food and televisions. If those people don't want to live in Illichville, they shouldn't be forced to.
Why no cars?
The first thing that a person will notice looking at a picture of Illichville
is the absence of cars, highways, parking lots and other ugly accomodations
for the automobile. A compact city of twenty to thirty thousand people, Illichville
can be easily traversed on foot or by bicycle. The compact size of Illichville
allows residents easy access to both urban and rural settings.
How do you keep cars out?
The City is surrounded by a green belt consisting of three rings. The inner
ring would be comprised of gardens, orchards, vineyards and fields that provide
the majority of Illichville's food. Beyond the agricultural belt are fields
and meadows that would provide fiber for clothing. The outer ring comprised
of natural and restored wetlands, prairies and forest would provide recreation
and a refuge from the city. Altogether the green belts serve as a buffer to
deter motoring tourists from parking their cars on the outskirts of town and
walking in. To avoid creating parking and congestion problems in neighboring
communities, visitors to Illichville are asked to travel by Greyhound or Amtrak
to the "gateway town" where they can catch the trolley to Illichville.
Why are there no corporate chains?
Another visual clue to the unique organization of Illichville is the absence
of the familiar outdoor displays of corporate emblems such as Wal-Mart and McDonalds.
In order to achieve self-reliance, factory-manufactured goods will be restricted
from sale in Illlichville. Food products and manufactured goods in Illichville
will be provided by the skilled craftsmen and women of Illichville. This is
not to say that people could not purchase factory-made goods outside of Illichvile
and bring them in. However, if those products were not bio-degradable, they
would be held responsible for their disposal...there is not much space for landfill
in Illichville. Some items such as bicycle tires will have to be imported but
the goal is always to protect local craftsmen and women wherever possible from
being undercut by cheap factory made goods.
How would Illichville restrict the sale of factory-made goods?
In order to restrict the importation of factory-made products , Illichville
will be established as a corporation. In America and much of the world only
a corporation is exempt from the influence of other corporations. The Disney
Corporation, for instance can decide whether Coke or Pepsi or neither will be
sold in Disneyworld. As a Corporation, Illichville would have more freedom to
experiment with governing, health care, and education, providing more democracy
and social justice than is permitted in traditional cities that are bound by
state and federal rules weakened by corporations.
Wouldn't the citizens of Illichville feel isolated?
Illichville would encourage tourism . Tourists would provide the capital to
build and maintain the city in it's infancy. There are three main attractions
for visitors. There will be tourists, simply curious about the city. Collectors
of fine crafts will come to buy the surplus wares of Illichville's craftspeople.
Others will come for the healing aspect of a post-industrial, post-consumer
way of life. Without automobiles, visitors will be able to walk and bicycle
everywhere. Visitors will breathe air without car fumes , drink clean water
and eat fresh, organic food.
How would Illichville survive the collapse of the "suicide economy"?
With America facing an uncertain future with dwindling reserves of fossil fuels
and other non-renewable resources, Illichville will be prepared to rely entirely
on it's own resources. If Illichville were connected by rail to other sustainable
cities, Illichville could survive well into the future.
Who is Illichville named after?
Ivan Illich wrote many books and essays about the effects of industrial technology on individuals and society.
Isn't Illichville"Utopian"...an impossible dream?
Hopes and dreams for the future keep us going. In modern day America thousands of imagined futures are manufactured at great expense, every day by highly paid professional artists and writers in advertising and public relations agencies. Those manufactured dreams about zooming cars, suburban shangi-las and fast food binges are leading us like lemmings to our doom. Children are now taught in American schools that the only hope for the human race is to prepare to leave Earth to colonize other planets. We believe it is time for responsible artists and writers, skilled in imagining and visualizing, to create a dream that is both practical and positve...if you think you've got a better idea, get to work!
Why have you created Illichville?
As artists,we share a concern for the effects of unsustainable, suburban-style development on the urban and rural landscape. It is no longer possible as it was only a generation ago for an artist to paint the landscape just outside the artist's door. But we have also come to understand it isn't just about aesthetics, there's a tremendous environmental and human tragedy behind suburban sprawl. Years ago, we began a project to imagine and visualize an exciting and entirely sustainable, car-free city in America…. A city that would have the best of both rural and urban life. The project was mostly therapy for us, but having painted , written and talked about "Illichville" with friends, they have urged us to share Illichville with others looking for at least an imaginary escape from a world spinning out of control.