Special Topic Architecture & Recycling

Architecture, Sustainability & Recycling in the context of Art & Creativity

One of the people who put a lot of effort and time into education towards sustainable living, addressing environmental issues, is Michael Raynolds, also known as the 'Garbage Warrior'. He is using materials like aluminium cans, car tires, glass bottles and sometimes, glass bottle tops as 'mini tiles' on floors. 
Michael is the founder of the 'Earship Biotecture' movement, which he started nearly 40 years ago. 
These days Michael also travels to many places in the World holding workshops about Earthship Biotecture, hence 'spreading the message' while educating for sustainable living and architecture.

Why I looked into (sustainable) architecture in the context of Art & Creativity is, because building a dwelling is in my view a very creative and artistic activity.
Thinking about alternative, sustainable options to todays (western) buildings is in itself a creative exercise, requiring flexibility and creativity of thought. I also consider the practical application of the actual building the dwelling a very artistic activity. The very sculptural shapes of these buildings are artistically very pleasing to my eyes.

Earthship Biotecture: 

Sourced from:

http://www.architexting.com/earthships-biotecture

An other Earthship Biotecture dwelling:

Sourced from:
http://www.vinemedium.com.au/VineEnvironmental.html

A good picture of the building process and the materials used: 

Sourced from: 

http://www.sensysmag.com/spatialsustain/earthship-biotecture-espouses-efficiency-in-fancyful-form.html

Bottles and bottle tops used in the building process: 

Sourced from:
http://realestate.msn.com/amazing-ways-trash-can-be-used-to-build-homes

To get a more in depth idea of what Michael Raynolds is doing, his background and the problems he has encountered, it is well worth spending the time to watch the youtube video on the link below:

Earthship doco, Michael Raynolds, retrieved November 2012

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrMJwIedrWU

After watching this documentary, I jotted down some thoughts/notes of what transpired to me as some important key points. 

Anybody having had anything to do with any Council about wanting to build a building, which is even a little bit 'outside the box' will easily understand the issues Michael is/was having. His buildings are rather quite a bit 'outside the box' (e.g. considering existing building codes and regulations). 

Some reflective notes/ impressions about this doco:

Possible thoughts/issues/ threats to existing way of doing things for the council:

(For council): Loss of expected income through: no need for power; water; permits; roads; food (partially); work (employment/employer, as most work is done by Earthship residents, e.g. builders, truck drivers, plumbers, electricians etc). ). There might be a loss of jobs at the council, as some people’s usual tasks will become surplus – no need for paper trail;

Might ‘catch on’ with other people – what to do then?

Threat of something new – need to hold on to old model (fear of change to personal situation and generally, being used to a certain existing lifestyle, impact that change might have on this, loss of predictability and established models, even so they might be outdated and not sustainable).

Request from council to Michael to conform to ‘accepted language’, addressing specific, recommended by council advisor - areas of the topic (not global warming for example – too threatening and ‘it’s not happening anyway’). Fit into the ‘box’ (Earthship) as much as possible. Creative thinking/flexibility too much to deal with for council.

Not enough time to prepare for new fees (legislations) for this project, hence declining applications for a new bill – solution: stalling for time (council). Don’t rock the boat attitude. Change is frightening. Economically, this is not profitable, as there is no charge on ‘rubbish’ (yet). Anyone can do it – loss of control by the council over people’s life/lifestyle, because loss of freedom of choice for individual’s life/lifestyle has previously/already been accepted by the public and established by the government.

Acceptance of project (by council) after news in media about ‘helping tsunami victims’ and finally council getting considerable amount of money paid by ‘Earthship’ (compromise under pressure) for roads, sub-division and agreement that it’s an experimental site, hence confined to this, which also means the other people can not use it to do the same unless they make it into a ‘testing site’ as well (restrictions). This could be seen as ensuring more time to find a way to create council fees e.g. a ‘using soil levy’ or charging for alluminium cans, glass bottles or such like.

Good point from Michael: when people are desperate (after disaster) help (solutions/low cost) in any form or shape are welcome; when in ‘routine’ (existence is not threatened) mode, ‘lets leave it as is’ attitude.

To me, this Doco confirms what many people already know/have experienced, that:

When dealing with rules and regulations established by councils (government), personal freedom of choice or flexibility to create a lifestyle ‘different from the norm’, a very long (and costly) process will result, trying to gain ‘permission’ to ‘live an individual lifestyle’.

Michael Raynolds is educating the Council and the World about sustainability through pursuing his passion for sustainable living.

Off the Grid Housing:

There seems to be plenty of very creative and inventive people out there when it comes to designing sustainable, 'off the grid' housing. Some info on 'off the grid' living on this link: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-the-grid

Some of these don't necessarily use recycled materials but focus more on having independent energy resources through using solar power: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power

or wind turbines: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_turbine

I will add some of pictures of a variety of very differently designed sustainable dwellings:

Sourced from:

http://www.beingsomewhere.net/

Owned by: Simon & Jasmine Dale, UK

Tiny off the grid house on wheels:

Sourced from: 

http://www.greenifyearth.org/projects.html

  

'Classy' off the grid house: 

Sourced from: 

http://www.homedesignfind.com/green/off-grid-in-costa-rica-iseami-teaches-eco-architecture/

Pod dwelling: 

Sourced from:

http://inhabitat.com/adex-furturistic-prefab-for-modular-off-grid-living/

Round House UK:

Sourced from: 

http://www.trendir.com/house-design/repurposing-and-revitalizing-1-1.html

I would call this a'Pavlova' house:

Sourced from:  

http://www.metafilter.com/90251/Odd-Homes-Built-of-Tires-and-Trash-Lure-Environmentalists-Turn-Off-Bankers

Some more dwellings using 'recycling' for building materials: 

Temple in Bangkok, Thailand, build from 1 million glass bottles:

Sourced from: 

http://inhabitat.com/temple-of-a-million-bottles/

Squashed aluminium cans as 'shingles':

Sourced from: 

http://www.eco-artware.com/newsletter-newsletter_05_04.php

Plastic bottle building: 

Sourced from: 

http://inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-homes.html

And just to add to the selection:

Recycled aeroplane home: 

Sourced from: 

http://urban-review.com/waste-whimsical-materials-construction/

The list could go on so I will only add some info about the innovative, creative use of recycled materials in connection with building: 

Recycled plastic 'bricks' (Otago, NZ):

Sourced from: 

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/121078/otago-man-makes-plastic-fantastic

Crushed aluminium bricks:

Sourced from: 

http://inspirationgreen.com/aluminium-can-construction.html

Tin Can 'wallpaper':

Sourced from:
http://inspirationgreen.com/aluminium-can-construction.html

There is no doubt in my mind that very creative, artistic people are involved in these projects.

Even so I haven't got the opportunity to involve my Art students in actual projects like some of the ones shown, I will be able to show them printouts and talk about it in the hope that it might inspire some of them to explore these options further in their private or vocational life (builders, architects, engineers, interior designers).

Unfortunately we are not allowed to 'decorate' the walls in the Art room either.