Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/522141
palletcentral.com PalletCentral • May-June 2015 41 in 6600 pounds of used wooden pallets and created a structure of exceptional beauty and unconventional utility. Through upcycling, 120 pallets were transformed from their original utilitarian function to an aesthetic sculpture that awed and inspired exhibit visitors. The Looking (C) Up project not only stimulated the imaginations of thousands of festival-goers who were able to lie in hammocks and enjoy the night sky, but as well as viewing the stars and planets from a comfortable place, these people could see both inner space and outer space from an entirely fresh perspective. Beyond Architecture Group, BAG, specializes in sustainable architecture that uses local and natural materials, combining traditional technologies with innovative design. An experimental design firm, BAG, is a master of the art of upcycling. Looking (C) Up was an artistic departure for BAG, which is best known for designing homes and residential development projects that emphasize and incorporate sustainability and feature novel interior designs. Previous installations include houses with load- bearing walls made entirely out of bales of straw. Design Challenges or Industr y Solutions? The Looking (C) Up project is another fine example of using recycled materials. However, upcycling or recycling found materials presents particular challenges, according to Phil Horton, lecturer and program coordinator for the Architecture program at The Design School at Arizona State University. "Using found or recycled materials such as used pallets is a good but sometimes tricky exercise," he says. "Reimagining new uses for found materials can be a great way to unleash students' creativity and encourage them to explore imaginative ways of designing structures that are beautiful, functional and also thoughtful. The practice also helps students gain an appreciation of the actual making of things, as opposed to simply designing something and then handing CAD (computer-aided design) drawings or a BIM model off to a contractor." Horton notes that it is often more challenging to use found or recycled materials versus raw materials because of innate limitations in availability, quality and consistency. Students often source materials from salvage yards and find creative reuses of found materials including wooden planks from old barns and farmhouses, salvaged steel conduits, and cardboard paper tubes on which paper or carpet was rolled. Is there a role for the wood packaging industry to play in collaborating with the architectural or design community? PalletCentral continues to see wooden pallets repurposed across the globe into large and small scale commercial and residential design projects. As NaturesPackaging.org evolves, the NWPCA will continue to share these stories online and with readers. If you've got a great story to share, please contact Annette Ferri, NWPCA, at aferri@palletcentral.com. PC