Where design and sustainability cross paths

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How to Make a Home Out of Shipping Containers

city center lofts
(Image courtesy of City Center Lofts)

Soon to rise up in the heart of one of Salt Lake City’s historic districts, is a condo project called City Center Lofts, designed by architect Adam Kalkin, to be the first mid-rise building in the U.S. built from international shipping containers.  In the mode of many European architects, Kalkin has experience designing a number of luxury as well as affordable homes out of shipping containers, and he is employing his expertise to help make this residential project one of the greenest in the State of Utah.  Taking a wholistic approach, the project team is focusing on sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor air quality.  The main green features within the building will be natural ventilation; no or low-VOC paints, sealants and adhesives; a high efficiency air-to-air heat exchanger and HEPA filtration; low-E windows; on-demand hot water heaters; a green roof; on-site bicycle storage; and most notably, construction from 50% recycled materials by weight, which is no small feat.  Another factor making City Center Lofts so progressive is that its central location makes it so pedestrian friendly, allowing residents convenient access to numerous neighborhood amenities as well as public transportation.

Please visit City Center Lofts for more information.

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Trash Cans as Public Art

steelyard

steelyard can2

If your notion of a trash can is simply that of an everyday utilitarian product, you should take a look at what the non-profit known as the Steel Yard has been working on for the past few years. As part of its Urban Furniture program, the Steel Yard, based in a 5600 SF industrial space in Providence, Rhode Island, collaborated with local artists to design and fabricate a series of distinctive steel trash cans (along with a number of other street-based art/products), in an effort to revitalize and beautify the Industrial Valley district within the city. Working with the Olneyville Housing Corporation, the organization sought to create aesthetically beautiful (as well as thought provoking) works of art and function, that would aid in improving the neighborhood of Olneyville, while at the same time elevating the public dialogue of what it means to be a community in transition.

steelyard can1
(All photographs courtesy of Steelyard’s flickr gallery)

On one level, what the Steel Yard has done with this project, is demonstrate how a community of diverse populations, vocations, etc, can come together to essentially “unify” a city, even if one neighborhood at a time, and how this can be done through the installation of functional “street art”. If urban living does eventually become the norm, it is all the more reason to make our urban spaces more enjoyable and livable, and hopefully more cities will realize that something as simple as a trash can presents an accessible way to achieve that. And to do so through creative collaboration, is surely a testament to how strong a community like Olneyville has already become.