Living Like the Blue Zones® How can the Power 9® of the Blue Zones® be translated and implemented into a residential landscape design?

Abstract

Under the leading research of Dan Buettner and National Geographic, The Blue Zones® are parts of the world that hold the highest density of centenarians. In other words, places with the longest living people. Not only do these people live to be very old but they are highly active and live very healthy lifestyles.

There are 5 Blue Zones: - Okinawa, Prefecture of Japan - Ikaria, Greece - Barbagia Region of Sardinia, Italy - Seventh Day Adventists of Loma Linda, California - Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

Through studies and observations of these regions, a team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists have come together to create the Power 9®. The Power 9® are 9 evidence-based common denominators among all of The Blue Zones®. These factors are the stepping stones to healthier lifestyle alternatives –increasing longevity, and enhancing the quality of life.

This project acknowledges the importance of research and how it can not only benefit our society, but also benefit our lifestyles as individuals. This capstone extracts and conceptualizes the main ideas from the Power 9® into the works of residential Long Island landscape design. The objective is to transform outdoor living space into an area that allows the resident(s) to integrate the practices of the Blue Zones® into their lifestyle.

To communicate these ideas, the Power 9® are broken down and translated into landscape features, concepts, symbols, and flow. Overall, this project is intended to inspire local landscape designers to follow these practices, understand the importance of educating clients, and to harness the power of instilling lifestyles through design.