Would YOU?

[bicyclebuilder]

In my hometown Helmond we have a new part of the city that looks like an old dutch town. It's called Brandevoort. www.brandevoort.nl
It has an old covered marketplace made from cast-iron (or it looks that way).
All houses have the luxury of new houses, but the look of old houses.
With a little steampunk modification it could be a nice location.
Nearby is the town Eindhoven. They are replacing most of the old Philips factories, but they could be converted into Steampunk houses.

Oh, i'm not going to attempt to suggest that we simply abandon mondern tech.  I would make sure that I had an internet connection/power in my living quaters

I agree with you. We are all so "dependent" on modern technology, we almost could n't do without it. You can alway steampunk your computer, tv, stereo to stay in style.

[Sir Nathaniel Wolf]

Would I? In a heartbeat, my friend.

[Antipodean]

I posted a link to some photographs and page-links here: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,25934.msg601321.html#msg601321
They are of an abandoned coal mine / building that is situated in the middle of a residential area in Cheratte, Belgium. Built in the 1890s. Lots of photos when using Google images to search. See links on other thread.
Apartments / Hotel - possibilities - possibilities - possibilities.

Link here to Google Map - Zoom out to see the surrounding area. The wasteland opposite would have been the rail link out.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hasard+Cheratte&hl=en&ved=0CGcQpQY&ei=js64TO_3D5T6tgO8h-yCBg&sig2=dT6lk7pGA6bVBWgeCVD0rA&sll=50.684949,5.677967&sspn=2.743,13.883384&ie=UTF8&view=map&cid=8232508824139329707&hq=Hasard+Cheratte&hnear=&t=h&ll=50.680746,5.669589&spn=0.002209,0.005515&z=18

Couple of Large Photos - If I understand correctly the tall section houses the lift shaft

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

If there is interest then maybe one of our Belgium cybertribe members could check this out for those "That Would"

The cost of a steampunk lifestyle - a new country and a new language.

[mattig89ch]

who is using it?  what are they using it for?  and if its being used, wouldn't that make it un-useable for us?

[wavewatcher]

Probably, If I can acquire a gramophone player and some kind of land or allotment to grow foods to eat+trade. Sounds rather nice to me.

Although this is entirely theoretical, and in both cases I'd suffer massive technology withdrawal symptoms, so I'd probably need a padded cell for a few days to begin with.

[AlegrahEredschtadt]

Well, I would almost suggest doing it in a (ohgasp) Neo-Vic way. I'm planning on living my life in the style and ideals of the Victorian era while keeping basic modern technology, like medical service, cell phone, computer, ipod and such. I can't live without those things, but I don't want to stay entirely in a modern world as I despise it.

[Clym Angus]

Basically, there is no reason to need to throw away everything modern in order to embrace steampunk.

Too right there's no way you'd get me up fixing one of those roofs without a thoroughly modern carabiner, harness and some serious climbing rope. I will not be trusting my physical form to heap, plank and luck thank you very much! Have you ever noticed all these properties involve big, dangerous, roof repairs? Dig the grave yard before you pick your rooms boys and girls. What is it with sp's and vaulted ceilings?

Most of these options have a little too much of the AAAAHHHH. THUD! Factor.

[Humadroid]

i'm going to randomly and probably rudely jump in here. sorry about my ignorance, but i wasnt here for the last 20 pages of the discussion. i did read the first few posts though  :p  if people are still talking about whether they would live in a perfect steampunk city, i'm going to say for the record, i totally would. ok i shall try to not interrupt again

[mattig89ch]

actually, your more then welcome to intrude.  we can always use more opinions in here.

we've stopped asking who would want to, and moved on to how to make it possible.  There's already a tea house in the works (5 or 6 pages back).


Personally, i think if we can find an affordable way to do this we'd all move there.  I know I would.

[Shikua]

Total newb here, ((first post even!)) but I think with some dedicated people, and money, making a steampunk town from almost the ground up wouldn't be too hard. The hardest part is finding a location that everyone can agree on, because we would have to have everyone be sure they could lay down thier jobs, and work soley on the town for a long while. Might be a better idea to make a "Little Steam Villiage" At the edge of an existing town, and expand it from there.

[Antipodean]

Completely missed the Tea House - Is this in the USA or across the pond, in Europe.

Welcome Humadroid and Shikua.

<Random Thoughts>
Actually, with my post/suggestion, there was only the slightest of glimmers and I wondered if I needed to volunteer to further the research on the location.
My train of thought went in this direction. (Did not get very far! -  sniggers)

• I imagined what I might be asked if I approached the local council. "Hmmm so you want to live there, how many of you are there?".
• Well that is a very good question not just for this location - any location.
• (Maybe I missed this also) Is there a "register" of interested bodies or is this rather on an ad hoc basis. "That looks nice I think I would like it there!"
• Are there two maybe three groups of interested bodies? US continent only? - Europe or England only?
• If a location is found, how does one rate the level of interest, to make further investigation worthwhile?

Which lead my thoughts to here! Here in the antipodes it is not uncommon to have new immigrants from England complaining. The houses are not the same, the television programs are not as good, the food does not taste the same, the petrol is more expensive, there is no public transport, you cannot get the BBC on the radio and on and on and on! - Nothing is the same as it is in England. Literally - Prisoners Of Mother England (POMS). (Term used as a friendly poke to an Englishman you know well, commonly a term of derision to some one who is complaining that the latest episode of "Coronation Street" is 6 months behind England. Normally heard with the prefix of "Bloody"). The point I will make is that when such a move is made, it is not about finding another England with better weather. The change you make is a complete one and you have to take all the bad knocks on the chin.
I think the location in Belgium is a good litmus test in this respect, moving to a different country and having to learn a different language to talk to the locals would really indicate how well you would succeed at making such a life style change. My parents made the decision to move 40 years ago and I can still recall the journey. The move to a community would be no different. You are likely to loose something/s to which you did not know you were attached. The effort required to learn to read and write a different language would be equal to some of the chalanges you would face.

<Possible New Thread>
While I am not in the position to make the move, (Would if I could) I feel I would be willing to help a new community where I could. Is there a register of interested individuals who are willing to give a helping hand to a newly formed community.

• In return for a bed and food would spend a week / fortnight providing their trade services to the group.
• Artist providing goods on a profit share basis.
• Legal services

- you get the idea.
</Possible New Thread>

Anyway that’s enough thinking for now, Its getting late for me and its been a long day ands the gears are grinding to a halt. Hope I do not rain on any ones parade.
</Random Thoughts>

[heavyporker]

Guys, in my earlier posts, I described some ideas about urban property. Here is the personification of a major idea: C.O.S.I.'s time capsule street. ( It's the Science and Industry museum in Columbus, Ohio, where I live). One of the exhibits is a street from around the 1880s INSIDE the building. There were shops and some light industry, wonderful streetlamps, and miscellaneous street features and fixtures.

We should do that in a steampunk manner - just grab some big honking building with a nice Victorianesque exterior, then do streets inside for the public to come in and enjoy. Some trompe l'oeil effects for the perimeter and the sky (we need good sunlight-imitation lighting, methinks, and it will do wonderfully. Hey, if there's a skylight, no problem! We can keep that and work around it. We can reserve upper floors for habitation, and feed ourselves from the restaurant facilities we inevitably will need - mornings and evenings cook for ourselves, lunches we make for the public consumers.

 Otherwise, we might do something in the vein of the Crystal Palace: lots and lots and lots of glass, and plenty of exhibits, but habitation and restaurant facilities on the premises might be a bit harder to hide or integrate into such a setup (...throw no stones in a glass house...)

[19th Century Space Pilot]

Partially remove some floors from a large  building if it's multi-storey, and you can make streets with large houses on the end and skylights above. Alternatively, if it's a factory, you might be able to build houses inside at a much lower cost (because you're technically building inside a building).

Say you get hold of a large, squarish factory or warehouse that fits the bill. I imagine you'd be able to build houses out of wood on the inside, with much lower requirements for regulations, insulation, and other  requirements. Build them high enough and you can reach the top and stick your chimney directly to the outside.

Go with a 3-4 storey design, maybe, with living quarters above a ground floor that can be used for shops, workshops, etc?

[tophatdan]

i was thinking the other day how nice it would be to live in an appartment building where all the tenants were steampunk...

[Vorpal Bandersnatch]

I love the idea of the indoor steampunk village, but I can't help but think that any large venture of that type is still unrealistic. We ultimately have to place our hopes in the fortuitous appearance of a generous benefactor to make anything like that happen.

I've noticed a number of hackerspaces that have started to pop up recently - might a steampunk version of a hackerspace make a good hub around which a community could coalesce? If a community is started, the possibilities grow much more interesting.

[Sgt. Glas]

I would jump onboard that in a heart beat, as long as there was airship parking. Maby even if not, but some gun is going to need to be around with all of you mad scientist types running in. Someone's got to protect you and test your stuff right? Well any way I would.

[LuxAeterna]

YES and NO.
we have to overthink that if in this city the society really lives like in this episode of time, everyone can die much easier from several deseases - living in the vicotorian time was very hard for poor people especially.
i think i would love to live in that time for one day or one week as a normal, middle-class citizen to witness it all by myself 

there was a very very nice episode in star trek tng when i remember right, were the crew of the enterprise does a time-travelling Directly into the victorian time. one of my fav episodes ever 

[Mad Alice]

Definitely.

[Maxine Farlington-Picton]

Naturally I would jump at the chance. Though the practicalities might get in the way.
I'd love to turn Aberystwyth into a bright art deco town and since that isn't going to happen the chances of living in another idealistic place is non existent too

[mattig89ch]

you know I was thinking of this as a business....someone (possibly me, possibly someone with better credit) approaches the Chicago government and says they want to turn one of their old (and now abandoned factories) into an apartment building.  first floor is turned into 1/2 dedicated commercial businesses.  their rent would be responsible for 50% of all costs in the building.  I'm thinking of a groasery store for the first floor, but it wouldn't matter who came in, so long as someone comes in.  the second floor is open to all steamy businesses, with discounts to those who are also tenets.  3rd and up are apartments, with cheap rents (just charging enough to cover costs).

there is even a Chicago theoretical planning comitee (heard about in on NPR, can't find it on chicago's web site) thats taking in ideas, and giving partial funding for good ones, on what to do about all the empty factories they now have.

[Lilliput]

To jump in, and having not read the backpages (sorry...)

To do such a thing might not require as much capital as all that, if it were bought and owned communally. Much as thins my shock some of the americans on the forum ') some sort of steampunk commune would be far cheaper than trying to develop a building, then get people to rent out individual areas. If a group collectively bought somewhere, they could run it in a steampunk way, then other groups and individuals would be attracted to the surrounding area.

Additionally, I am not sure why people are talking about cholera etc, as living a steampunk lifestyle in a steampunk town does not mean that we leave this time period or even have to cut ourselves off completely. We simply adapt what we like about 'normal' living and do it in a steampunk way.

The main problems seem to be organization and capital.

Also, it seems unclear exactly what life in a steampunk town would be like, since we all have slightly different ideas about what steampunk is...

[Secundinius]

I'd have to go with no. The problem with Victorian era is no one bathed regularly, so it would be a city of stench. But if all you other punkers agree to shower, then absolutely!

I second (hopefully) that notion.

[Wolf410]

if it had a good port for my airship then absoloutly

[Argus Fairbrass]

It is an intriguing concept. I actually tried to join Second Life recently just to see the varying types of Goth/Steam/Diesel type cities that have apparently been constructed. Unfortunately computer said no!

Although I’m sure my new beast will have no problems coping at all.

I could certainly think of one way this idea could work….

[Prof_Von_Grumbleflick]

I noticed that this thread is over a year old.
Has work commenced on the building of this commune yet? Are we going to take Beamish by force? We have the weapons technology (as long as they're phobic of Nerf Darts, anyway!)

I'd give up absolutely everything to live there, frankly. Well, almost, as mentioned before, I would still need Internet access in my bachelor pad... But that would be the only modern creature comfort required. I would be more than happy to never look at a television or listen to an awful Radio 4 radioplay again and chuck my mobile phone away and cancel any plans to learn to drive.