Upcycled: Gray Pants

I am completely enamored by graypants.   No, this is not a post about a wardrobe staple, but about a conceptual design studio.  Gray Pants was founded in 2008 with team members in Seattle and Amsterdam.  Their design philosophy is to create responsible, whether it's furniture or architecture.

Watch the bio: 

Dumpster diving has never looked more appealing.

Here are a couple of gray pants creations to pique your interest.

scraplights, made from salvaged pieces of corrugated cardboard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the slice chair transforms flat sheets of plywood into simple geometric forms that redefine seating. by creating a series of slices, the ottoman glides between the chair’s profiles allowing it to shift into a lounge chair. the ottoman can be completely removed and rotated for use as a magazine

Watch them build the slice chair:

ScrapLights are available for purchase here and range from $179 - $1,400.  The StepLight and Slice Chair are also available for purchase.

I look forward to seeing more of their up-cycled creations!

illy Push Button House

illy collaborated with artist/architect Adam Kalkin to create a dramatic work of living art - the illy Push Button House, a five-room home with a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, living room and library constructed within a standard industrial shipping container. The home, which transforms at the push of a button, is created from recycled and recyclable materials and is the physical representation of illy's dedication to sustainability, art and innovation.

 

Can't watch the video?  Try this link.

Cargo Shipping Container Offices & Homes

Shipping containers are a basic necessity for distribution of goods throughout the world. In the United States, shipping containers are actually becoming an environmental issue. We have become a society of import rather than export.  We export so little, that it actually cheaper for shippers to manufacture new shipping containers than to ship empty or partially filled containers back to their origin.


As a result, hundreds of thousands of empty containers sit litter the landscape of many port cities and areas around inland freight transit terminals.

Port of New York and New Jersey on the New Jersey Turnpike. In the first eight months of 2010, the port saw the equivalent of 700,000 more full 20-foot containers enter than leave.

Container Home in Jakarta

Resourceful people have been turning shipping containers into makeshift homes for years.  In recent years, there has been a surge of interest shipping containers from architects and designers.  They are modular and can be stacked and connected.  And best of all, containers are a relatively inexpensive (some start at $800 a container).

The low cost and modularity makes a shipping container for temporary disaster relief shelters.

Re:START by the Buchan Group, 1 year after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand

Container construction is not limited to short term solutions.  Containers can be used to build permanent structures. 

The original Container City project, located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, in the heart of London's Docklands.  Completed in 5 months in 2001, Container City I was originally 3 stories high providing 12 work studios across 4,800 sq ft.

Container structures can be completely fitted out on the interior.  Containers can be modified to add modern amenities you would expect from a home or an office (electricity, plumbing, finished interiors). 

This is what the inside of a Container home @ Cove Park, Scotland. Not to shabby, eh?

 
It doesn't have to look like a container on the outside either, the exterior can be clad with standard building materials.

The SG Blocks Harbinger Container Home, Composed of five recycled containers. 

Shipping containers have been used to  build luxury homes and offices, and even a Starbucks.

  Starbucks opened its first reclaimed container coffee shop just south of Seattle in Tukwila, Washington on 12/13/11. 

The store is also the first LEED-certified structure in Tukwila.

Want to see and learn more about Container structures?

Here are some links to helpful sites:

46 Amazing Homes and Offices Built from Shipping Containers

General  Knowledge:

• Pre-Fab: a web resource dedicated to tracking developments in the market for ‘modernist prefab dwellings including Container Homes
• Habinet -former Habitainer- is a website regarding projects and buildings using ISO shipping containers on design and construction.
• How to: Buying, Designing & Building Cargo Container Homes
• General Container Specifications 

Architects, Designers, Builders & Developers:

• Next modern facilities
• Guller Padilla

Elixir Product Fix: Alkemi Recycled Metal Surfaces

 Alkemi-Acrylic 

Alkemi-acrylic is a gorgeous surfacing material with SCS certfied 96% recycled content & VOC free.  Alkemi-acrylic can be recycled endlessly after its life cycle, making it the ultimate sustainable surfacing product in the marketplace.

Alkemi Installed @ 2 Lads Winery in Traverse City
Architect of Record: David Spala
Fabricator: : Grand Valley Wood Products
Photographers: Pat Garrett, Paul Osborne

via Alkemi

Alkemi-acrylic is made using pre-consumer waste aluminum flake, solid surface scrap, and recycled acrylic.  Alkemi can be installed by a mill worker or caseworker with using with conventional tools and fabrication methods.   

Alkemi-acrylic is offered in sheet sizes of 36"x72” and 48"x96”, sheets are 5/8" thick.  Available in matte (a high gloss finish can be achieved by your fabricator) and 20 different colors. My favorite colors from their offerings are Lazuli (left) & Aquarius (right):

Things to keep in mind if you plan to specify Alkemi-Acrylic:

1. Limited heat tolerance, Protective trivets should be used to protect the surface from hot pots.
2. A stainless steel insert or transition should be used for installation of burners and cooktops.
3. Stain resistant against most common liquids. Acidic liquids, including red wine, if left to remain on the surface for extended period of time can stain.
4. Stains and scuffs can be sanded and polished off to restore the surface by qualified fabricators.
5. Can be used horizontally or vertically in interior applications, but  will require full substrate support. 

Check out other products @ Renewed Materials:   Alkemi Polyester and Alkemi Tabletops.

Innovative Idea: Save Water Brick

Bricks were one of the first man-made building materials materials (the oldest bricks made from mud have been dated at about 7500 BC). Throughout the centuries, the method for manufacturing has evolved, but at it's most basic level, a brick is a mixture of silica, clay, lime, iron oxide and magnesia fired @ 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Designer Jin -Young Yoon took a look at one of the oldest building materials and came up with the idea of the Save Water Brick.

The Save Water Brick is made from recycled plastic and decomposed leaves.The backside of the brick has funnels designed to direct water run off to nearby landscaping or to a underground storage tanks.

The Save Water Brick would definitely have a positive impact on the environment in other ways than water conservation, it would divert waste from landfills & support markets for recycled content products.

This is an innovative idea, but there are still some questions that need to be answered:

 How exactly will it be manufactured? Will it use less energy to produce than bricks on the market today (bricks  have an energy intensive process = more CO2 emissions)?  Bricks are relatively inexpensive to produce (a brick is typically made of silica, clay, lime, iron oxide and magnesia), how will the Save Water Brick compare in cost? And most importantly, how does the performance of the Save Water Brick compare to regular bricks?

I am interested in seeing how this product develops and if it will be released on the market.  Until then, I hope Yoon keeps cranking out the great ideas.

Elixir Fix: Graft

GRAFT is a design studio that was founded in 1998 in LA by Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz and Thomas Willemeit and two more offices in Berlin and Beijing.

The name GRAFT was derived from the terminology of botany, the grafting of one shoot onto another genetically different host. The practice believed that the traditional boundaries of architecture needed to be questioned, as it continually changes when it engages with global and local environments

Graft has received all kinds of accolades for their work, from residential to commercial to humanitarian, including Contract Magazine's 2010 Designers of the Year.

If you are looking for inspirational work, follow the jump, their website shows it best.

My Graft favorites are Loft Hamburg, W Hotel NY, KU64 Dental Spa ( I felt the sudden urge to travel to Berlin to for a cleaning after I saw the images of this AMAZING space), & KU65 Kids Club.

Trust me, it's worth the click: http://www.graftlab.com/

Modern Modular "Mobile" Home

Internationally famous designer Werner Aisslinger asked the question, "How could a temporary and simple accommodation, coping with the demands of a mobile society and its nomadic lifestyle, look like?"

In 2002, he answered his question by designing  Loftcube, a solid and mobile living unit guaranteeing high quality accommodation.

Exterior & Interior of  Loftcube

Aisslinger's idea of the Loftcube evolved into the Fincube, a multi-functional, energy efficient, sustainably designed, temporary Smart home.  Fincube is constructed of sustainable building products, uses innovative environmentally sound construction techniques, and has a low demand for energy. Fincube is designed as a temporary unit, ideal for both urban and rural areas, it can be dismantled and rebuilt on a new site.  It is so well thought out and designed, I would make it a permanent residence!

EXTERIOR DETAILS

The Fincube is built upon four height adjustable columns allowing it to adapt to any topographic condition.  The minimal foundation footprint keeps soil sealing and environmental impact on the project site to a minimum making it ideal for a temporary living unit. (Soil Sealing is the loss of soil resources due to the covering of land for housing, roads or other construction work.) Exterior building materials: European larch wood, Glass, steel foundation and mountings.

Only two square meters of space is required for the foundation.

The Fincube features a 360-degree glass facade.

Exterior wood slat cladding turns the Fincube into an architectural landmark, provides privacy and sun control.

ENERGY EFFICIENT AND SMART BUILDING SYSTEMS

The Fincube is heated with an energy efficient, high heat storage capacity from Austrian company Caladia. Caladia's innovative heating system is based on radiant heat which permeates the air and is nearly lossless; it generates heat only when hitting solid forms. The primary energy demand is under 130 kWh/m².

The Fincube is equipped with an intelligent bus system by Berker that connects all electrical devices via a control lead, allowing several devices can be controlled simultaneously.  The lighting, heating, motorized blinds and alarm systems can be operated with one control display. If you like, you can even call up the functions or status from your PC, iPhone or Palm. Moreover, you can teach your house to take care of itself in certain zones. By means of sensors it can detect good or bad weather, and can close the shutters all by itself if necessary. What this means is even when you are not at home you can be sure that your house is thinking like you- super smart!

Energy Efficient LED Lighting systems are used throughout. Fincube can also be upgraded by adding a green roof or a photovoltaic system to the flat roof. 

INTERIORS

Fincube is available in three interior packages.  Fincube without interior furnishings, Fincube with interior "standard", and Fincube with premium interiors. The furnished Fincube options feature interior furniture designed by Werner Aisslinger.  Interior material include Swiss stone pine wood furniture, ceramic tiling, Corian, and natural textiles.

 

This is not just a spec project, the Fincube is real! The Fincube show house is situated on Renon, South Tyrol and can be visited upon request personal guided tours through the Fincube.

The Fincube is currently available for purchase in Europe only (sad panda!).  Because of it's modular  wood construction, it can be ready for occupancy 70 days after production release.

Photo Credits

FINCUBE GmbH

Waltherplatz Nr. 8

I-39100 Bozen (BZ), Italy

VAT n.02696360219

Check out these other projects from Aisslinger and the Fincube team:

LoftCube

Pergola Residence

Designer Crush: Guess Who???

Imagine that you designed one of the most well known, most recognized and the most visited memorial, before you graduated from college.  How would you deal with the pressure and expectation level for your next project?  Would you be doomed to crash and burn, like the young starlets of Hollywood, that burn brightly and explode into oblivion? How could you possibly take your second built project to the next level, when your first, far surpassed any existing project?

There is a designer who did just that (minus the crash and burn part). This designer won a public contest held for the design of the memorial and continues to burn bright. Here is the winning concept for the memorial. 

Can you guess what it is or who designer is?  Initially, its selection was controversial, but now it is one of our nations most visited memorials.

Click on the "Get the full Dose" link below to see the installation and to learn more about this designer's newest, AMAZING & INSPIRING project.

Not until I have my coffee....

In the spring and summer, I take my used coffee grounds and fertilize my plants with it.  I've never looked at them and thought, hmmm, if I melt down my creamer container & add some coffee grinds, I could make a cool countertop material. 

But the fellas @Re-worked did.  Reworked developed Curface, a 99% post-consumer recycled surfacing material composed of recycled coffee grounds and post-consumer plastic waste. Coffee ground waste from office, cafes and factories across the United Kingdom are gathered, cleaned and sterilized before being mixed and turned into sheet goods.

Here are the details on the material:

• Standard sheet size is 2000mm by 1000mm (6.5' x 3.25') and available in 5 (.19"), 12 (.47"), 18 (.70") and 25mm (.98") thicknesses. 
• Curface is comparable to composite wood boards, most woodwork tools can be used. (I'd verify the specific tools with the manufacturer before cutting.)  
• Sheets have a matte pressed finish and should require no additional finishing. (No lacquer, no stains, no sealants = no added VOCs!)
• Scratches can be sanded out with fine grit sand paper. 
• Clean with a mild detergent and warm water, do not use any solvent cleaners.
• Curface an not be exposed to excessive heat or boiling water. This will cause the material to melt and burn.
• Visit this link to see the potential color range
• Custom colors available for large orders

Curface is brand spanking new. It was officially launched March 2010 at EcoBuild in London and they are currently working on a coffee shop installation in Milan. I'm jealous. Europe always has the coolest products.  All I can do is sit back and wait for Curface to come to the US.  I hope it will be approved for use in commercial applications.

Here are some images of Curface chairs Reworked has created with designer Nick Rawcliffe. The ash wood used for the legs and back came from an Ash tree that was cut down back 2005.  I have no idea how much it costs, but Adam and Nick will sign the first 50 chairs sold. And look, they made cute little bears from the left over Ash wood ( I want one!)

For more information:

info@re-worked.co.uk

Re-worked

http://re-worked.blogspot.com/

I wonder how many cupppa joes it takes to make a 4x8 sheet. And I wonder if you could do the same thing with tea leaves....

Featured Project: The Parlor, Phoenix, AZ

Built in a Phoenix neighborhood chock full of mid-century modern architecture, The Parlor, designed by owner Aric Mei and Panthangay Architects is a great example of sustainable design.  

Wood from the interior and roof and the old metal sprinkler system from the building was salvaged and re-purposed. Every piece of millwork in the space, including the host stand, bar and built-in booths, were built using the salvaged wood from the old roof.  Parts and pieces of the metal pipes from the sprinkler system were used in the designs for door handles, lighting, shelving, lighting, and the fireplace.  Structural columns from the original mid-century canopy were torn out, then used to create table bases.

The Parlor is a wonderfully creative and environmentally friendly project.  Watch the video below to see for yourself.

3/29- I noticed that sometimes the embedded video is not showing up in the blog post. In case you experience this, here is the direct link for the video. Enjoy!

Material Petting Zoos & Third Party Green Product Certifiers

A few months ago I discovered a budding resource for sustainable materials, Ecolect. Initially, I was drawn to their site because of an article about a Materials Petting Zoo. I thought it was a clever idea and it showed that Ecolect understood their target audience. Whenever we get new products in the office, everyone wants to touch it, bend it, smell it, and sometimes- see if we can break it.


Ecolect's goal is to help designers, architects, and builders source environmentally friendly construction materials. Their online material library includes roof decking, insulation, textiles and flooring. At post, there were only three pages of materials. (I have a larger collection of products in my personal stash- but I look forward to watching this resource grow.)