SCRAPHOUSE
by Jill Fehrenbacher
To coincide with World Environment Day 2005, nonprofit Public Architecture organized a team of designers to erect ScrapHouse ? a single family house built entirely out of salvaged scrap materials. Construction began on May 16th, and Scraphouse was unveiled today, June 2nd, in the civic center plaza in downtown San Francisco.
Absolutely everything in the house comes from scrap material destined for landfill. The design team scoured Bay Area dumps and scrap yards to cobble together the materials needed to erect this house. At 700 sq ft, Scraphouse has all the amenities of a traditional American home: a kitchen, a bathroom, two bedrooms, a deck, and landscaped yard. (flowers also made from scraps, it appears)
According to architect John Peterson, Founder of Public Architecture,”ScrapHouse illustrates the possibilities–as well as the challenges–of green building, recycling, and reuse,”
The Scraphouse website has loads of useful resources on where to find salvage and how to build green.
I just left San Francisco a few days ago, and I can’t tell you how bummed I am to have just missed this. Scraphouse will be open to the public for the next four days only, so San Franciscans, please: go down to city hall to show your love for Scraphouse and World Environment Day. Then take lots of pictures and send them to me, so I can post them on Inhabitat!
Update on June 6th 2005:
Although World Environment Day(s) is over, and the Scraphouse has been taken down, the memories will live on. Reader Nicolo Tech went to visit the Scraphouse before it disappeared and took the following photos:
Thanks Nicolo!
Also Worldchanging has an excellent write-up on the World Environment Day happenings.
+0
Get Inhabitat Email
OMGsh, that’s so flippin awesome!:-D