Village Configurations
One Modular System, Infinite Environments
The regenerative village model isn't just a building plan—it's a pattern language for human settlement. The same principles that make a cluster of homes work in New Hampshire can be adapted for the frozen tundra, the Sonoran desert, or the surface of Mars. What changes are the specific technologies; what remains constant is the relationship between housing, food production, energy, and community.
🔧 Universal Core Systems
Lunar Configuration
Shackleton Crater Rim • South Pole
The lunar south pole offers near-constant sunlight on crater rims and permanent shadow in craters (for water ice mining). A regenerative village here operates as a pressurized biome cluster—each habitat module connects via airlocks to central agricultural domes.
Aquaponics becomes essential, not optional. With no outdoor agriculture possible, 100% of food production happens in controlled environments. Tilapia replace trout (faster growth cycle, more heat-tolerant for thermal management). The "food forest" becomes a multi-level hydroponic tower system.
The cluster model works perfectly here: small groups of 6-8 people sharing life support systems, with redundancy across clusters. If one dome fails, inhabitants shelter in adjacent clusters while repairs proceed.
Configuration Specs
Key Adaptations
Martian Configuration
Jezero Crater Basin • Northern Hemisphere
Mars offers advantages the Moon lacks: a thin atmosphere (easier pressure differentials), a 24.6-hour day (familiar circadian rhythms), and CO₂ for greenhouse supplementation. The challenge is dust storms that can last months and dramatically reduce solar output.
The village model adapts as semi-buried habitat clusters with transparent pressure domes above. Each cluster maintains a 2-month food reserve for dust storm blackouts. Aquaponics containers are buried for thermal mass and radiation protection; grow lights supplement natural sunlight.
Critically, the cluster community model provides psychological resilience. Mars missions will be multi-year commitments—small, tight-knit groups of 7-8 sharing meals and responsibilities map directly to our Earthbound design.
Configuration Specs
Key Adaptations
Cold Climate Configuration
Subarctic • Northern Canada, Scandinavia, Alaska
Extreme cold climates share surprising similarities with space habitats: long periods of darkness, extreme temperature differentials, and the need for closed-system food production during winter months.
The village model here emphasizes thermal mass and passive solar. Homes are earth-bermed or partially underground. Aquaponics containers are housed in attached greenhouses that capture waste heat from fish tanks to warm growing spaces. Clusters are connected by enclosed walkways—residents can access shared spaces without exposure during -40° weather.
Cold-water species like arctic char and rainbow trout thrive here. The food forest focuses on cold-hardy perennials: sea buckthorn, haskap, cold-climate apples, and extensive berry production during the intense summer growing season.
Configuration Specs
Key Adaptations
Warm Climate Configuration
Desert Southwest • Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas
Hot, arid climates flip the script: abundant solar energy, extreme heat management needs, and water scarcity as the primary constraint. The village model here becomes a water-harvesting oasis.
Aquaponics is even more valuable in deserts—it uses 90% less water than traditional agriculture. Tilapia and catfish thrive in warm water. Evaporative cooling from fish tanks provides passive air conditioning for adjacent grow spaces. Housing clusters are oriented around central courtyards with shade structures and water features.
The food forest becomes a desert food forest: mesquite, palo verde, moringa, date palms, pomegranates, figs, and prickly pear. Deep-rooted trees tap groundwater and create microclimates for understory crops. Solar overproduction is dramatic—desert villages can export significant energy.
Configuration Specs
Key Adaptations
New England Configuration
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont • Our Home Base
New England is the Goldilocks zone for regenerative villages: four distinct seasons, adequate rainfall, existing infrastructure, and strong community traditions. This is where we're building first—and where the model is most proven.
The Town Woods configuration is our reference design: 50 homes in 7 clusters, each with aquaponics (rainbow trout + greens), community gardens, and access to a shared food forest. The region's cold winters make year-round aquaponics valuable; summer's abundance allows for preservation and storage.
New England's secret advantage is funding alignment. The region's rural communities qualify for USDA programs, while proximity to Boston provides access to capital, talent, and markets. The Town Woods model is designed to be replicated across the region's many small towns seeking housing solutions.
This page is the wide-angle vision. The version we're actually building — live nodes, sensors, the working farm and its brain — runs at killercatfish.com →
Configuration Specs
Key Adaptations
Configuration Comparison
| Location | Aquaponics | Outdoor Ag | Solar | Water | Cluster Size | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌙 Lunar | ✓ Essential | ✗ Impossible | ✓ Excellent | ⚠ Ice mining | 6-8 | 2040s+ |
| 🔴 Mars | ✓ Essential | ⚠ Greenhouse | ⚠ Dust storms | ⚠ Subsurface | 6-8 | 2050s+ |
| ❄️ Cold Climate | ✓ Year-round | ⚠ Seasonal | ⚠ Winter dark | ✓ Abundant | 7-8 | Now |
| ☀️ Warm Climate | ✓ Water-saving | ⚠ Irrigation | ✓ Excellent | ⚠ Scarce | 7-8 | Now |
| 🍂 New England | ✓ Optimal | ✓ Seasonal | ✓ Good | ✓ Abundant | 7-8 | Now |
Start With What's Possible Today
While we dream of Martian villages, we're building real ones in New England.
Town Woods is our proof of concept—50 homes, 7 clusters, one vision.
"The same patterns that let humans thrive on Earth will let us thrive anywhere."