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The idea behind contours is that they are a feature that harmonises with the landscape and provides for energy capture, creates efficient pathways, supports other elements to be positioned along them and reduces ongoing maintenance as a result.

Known in as Swales in Permaculture these landscape features are positioned on contour. They can be singular or as a series, depending on what the intended outcomes are for energy capture and distribution.

The primary contour starts at the highest point and they are a very supportive element in the system. Their design is intended to slow energy flow across an arrangement of components, capturing the potential energy and sharing the energy runoff potential more broadly throughout the system.

The components along countours can be in various arrangements. Guilds are a collection of components that benefit from the energy capture potential of countours.

Contours are also designed to provide efficient access and require less input energy from their maintainers over time. They can connect to other energy centers and can move energy from one contour to another across the system.

They are a regenerative design strategy that aims to create efficient pathways to features, ensuring users move through the site slowly and stay on page longer, interacting with forms and inputting their data energy.

A well designed solution requires less creator input energy and maintenance and continues as a self sufficient energy capture and distribution system.

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