Greenhouse by Joost

12 February to the end of March '11

Sydney Australia

Greenhouse, by artist Joost Bakker, is an ingenious eco-friendly cafe built using recycled materials. But that’s only the beginning, at Greenhouse water is collected on site, waste is recycled, herbs and vegetables are grown on the roof and even the generator runs on cooking oil.

Greenhouse has been designed and built from broken down shipping containers and packing crates, with all of its furniture, light fittings, glasses and even staff uniforms made from recycled and recyclable materials.

The walls of the building are made of straw bales, which are safe and long lasting if kept dry, while featuring a high insulation rating. Steel is also used extensively throughout the building as it is 100 per cent recyclable.

The cafe will use whole foods to make menu staples on site, including breads, pastries, pizza, yoghurt, butter and even tonic water. The menu will be served up by one of Australia’s best new talents in the kitchen, Matt Stone, and will be based on what is available locally and in season, encouraging diners to be more aware of the impact of food choices on the environment.

Bakker will next take this innovative travelling restaurant to Milan for the International Furniture Fair, followed by stops in a number of other European cities.

Joost said that the installation demonstrates that technology needed to live more sustainably is now readily available. “Sustainable development and organic food production are viable alternatives to the status quo, and in many ways, are simply a matter of choice. Greenhouse is an optimistic approach to life, from the buildings we inhabit to the food we eat. By choosing ethical, natural and easily recyclable materials we can live sustainably.”

Time Lapse - Construction of "Greenhouse by Joost" from Kapture Media Productions on Vimeo.

Greenhouse by Joost Bakker

Greenhouse by Joost Bakker