Vicki Nikolaidis
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Environment: Recycling & Creative Architecture:Shipping Containers
Another Big Thinker started me thinking about what could be done with shipping containers to help offset lack of housing. With the trade imbalance there are a lot of shipping containers with nothing to ship. Architects, designers and artists have come up with some wonderfully surprising and comfortable ideas. Babelgum offers a two minute film on the containers successful use to build studio apartments by attaching four containers together. http://www.babelgum.com/4001977/dreamspaces-eco-living-shipping-containers.html … Read More
October 12, 2009 | In Environment
Vicki Nikolaidis commented on Environment: Recycling & Creative Architecture on October 5, 2009, 4:35 PM
Hi Tim, the www.PhoenixCommotion.com talks about meeting buidling inspections. (no, not with clubs,although my uncle was terribly beaten up one time when he worked as a building inspector in the Midwest!) I lived in east Texas, in Huntsville! for awhile. Not sure they are as strict about building codes as one would wish. I once checked out a brand new 4 million dollar 'mansion' that was very flimsily built. Quite a shock for me. But in Texas if there is a rule or regulation I guess real Texans do the opposite! I love the aesthetic value of the houses in the video. I'm not sure if I'm big on industry doing the recycling. There's a big mess with recycling computers which i'll try to blog about in the next couple of days. Also most industry has always refused to this point, anyway, to use the technology available to reduce pollution in their processes. We'll see! Talk to ya later, my friend! Vicki
Environment: Recycling & Creative Architecture
Sometimes, admit it, traveling in the United States can become boring with so many places along the Interstate, suburbs and buildings looking the same. In Huntsville, Texas - watch out! People with jobs that don't pay enough for housing are learning to build their own homes. This is not trickle down home ownership, this is - do-it-yourself with objects that may have otherwise been thrown into the landfill. Lacy-designed pickle serving plates become fancy windows, excess stock corks make flooring sturdy and sample picture frames line a ceiling. And that is just the beginning of the imaginative way building and design meet recycling. The architect Dan Phillips is helping his neighbors learn to build their own homes. Each house is made from at least 85% 'throw away' materials. Al Jazeera offers an interview of Dan Phillips and a peek into his home. Find the interview at this youtube link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9JkPk0CIo4 If you are interested in finding out more please check www.PhoenixCommotion.com. Perhaps you would like to join in the building revolution. and Building Value:http://bit.ly/UIT73 … Read More
October 3, 2009 | In Environment
Vicki Nikolaidis commented on Improved education and $6,000 minimum average annual income required for democracy and peace on September 28, 2009, 12:29 PM
Professor Marsh I enjoy your blog at Midwest Voices. I thought you and other Big Thinkers might find a video from AlJazeera.net/English interesting. It's about a new comedy show in Palestine. A Palestinian family is interviewed in their home, about how they like the show. Perhaps some of your blog readers should take a peek, too! Palestinian families live a lot like many of us although that does not seem to be common knowledge in some countries. Palestinian satire making waves - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Aaj7agkgs
born and raised on a farm in Iowa
now living in Crete
raising two daughters, writing,taking photos,working on environment issues, cooking with fresh food and always trying to learn how to speak Greek by dropping my Middle West accent!
Vicki Nikolaidis commented on Environment: Recycling & Creative Architecture on October 9, 2009, 6:29 AM
Joe BrockhausWe have a resource like this here in Cincy -- It's called Building Value:http://bit.ly/UIT73This year was the region's first completely de-constructed house:http://bit.ly/3PTOfe