Be the Change
I’ve heard Ghandi’s famous phrase often recently with regard to green building. But last Friday at the Dwell On Design Conference and Expo in Los Angeles it seemed relevant in more general terms. Take the panel on evolving modes of architectural practice moderated by the multi-talented Frances Anderton, Dwell’s LA editor and the producer of the design and architecture program “DNA” for KCRW Radio (I was the mystery guest). The architects talked about how they weren’t just designers but also builders, branders, fabricators, and even developers. It struck me once again that the best architects are trained imaginations, adept at seeing problems as opportunities, especially as they spoke about looking for new materials, new uses for old materials, and new ways to make good design available to more people. That’s where I came in, because like Dwell and Sunset, Houseplans.com is also about changing the architectural paradigm so that better home design becomes accessible to a wider audience. The idea of changing perception was visible throughout the expo. For example, here’s the “Bollero” light from HOM Lifestyles.
It makes you think about light as a kind of rope trick, which in a way it really is if you include the cord!
Or here’s a raised bed that rolls. It’s called the Food Map Container, from Food Map Design, founded by a landscape architect.
The tub is made of 100% recycled post-consumer plastic. Its comes in short and tall sizes and is perfect for small patios or decks where you want to grow something quickly and move it around easily. It brings new meaning to the phrase “garden variety.”
More for Outside and In
Some other products caught my eye, like these long narrow modular concrete pavers.
They’re from Stepstone Inc. and create a deck-like pattern on the ground.
Or, getting back to Ghandi — I mean green — here’s a company that makes bamboo cabinets.
They’re from Bamboo Hardwoods in Seattle. They’re durable, sustainable (bamboo is a grass and grows very fast), and the cabinetry radiates a honey-warmth.
Kirei Board is getting more attention. Here it’s used for a vanity.
Manufactured in Japan from reclaimed sorghum straw in a nontoxic adhesive, Kirei Board is a strong, lightweight substitute for wood. My friend and former colleague at Sunset, Peter Whiteley, has even used Kirei in his woodworking projects. See his handsome “Eco Table.”
These products complement many of our plans, like Plan 48-254.
When you start looking, new possibilities abound. See the change!
