Upcycling

The humble carpet tile became a canvas for the inventive and experimental work of PHOOEY Architects in a recent exhibition at the University of Melbourne. Katelin Butler takes a look.

Walking into the Upcycling exhibition at the University of Melbourne’s Wunderlich Gallery was a notable experience - the familiar room was clad, floor to column, with carpet tiles, on which were printed images of an impressive array of PHOOEY Architects’ work. The exhibition is part of the Melbourne School of Design ABP Alumni Retrospective Series, however, rather than a strict retrospective, it was more an experimental installation. This reflects the practice’s particular interests and its commitment to experimentation and exploration as modes of working. Finding new ways of achieving zero waste, reusing and recycling materials and making something out of “nothing” are all vital ingredients in each PHOOEY project.

Established in 2004 by Peter Ho and Emma Young, the young firm has completed many projects and, in 2008, won the Australian Institute of Architects’ Small Project Award for the Children’s Activity Centre at Skinner’s Playground (Architecture Australia vol 97 no 3, May/June 2007). This project is a striking embodiment of PHOOEY’s design philosophy - every piece of so-called waste is reinvented as part of the building in a process known as “upcycling” or, as Peter Ho puts it, “being able to eat the whole cow”.

Floor, walls and column were all clad in carpet tiles, though the exact arrangement of projects was determined organically.

Floor, walls and column were all clad in carpet tiles, though the exact arrangement of projects was determined organically.

Image: Peter Bennetts

The term “upcycling” was first used in 1994, in relation to criticism of recycling practices in Germany, where recycled materials were always reconstituted rather than reused as they existed before. Upcycling has since become a popular technique, and PHOOEY has been an enthusiastic advocate for the process in Australia - hence the exhibition title. Materiality is integral to each PHOOEY project, with the emphasis on how materials are used rather than what materials are used.

Recycled carpet tiles have become a particular trademark, so they were an apt material choice for this installation. But how could these tiles be used to represent the built projects of the practice? PHOOEY chose to print images and drawings of the practice’s work directly onto the carpet tiles. Printing with low-VOC paint onto the carpet was an experiment in itself - it had never been done before. And it was successful, with only the paint fading slightly over time. This inherent drive and the enthusiasm for testing boundaries is an appealing aspect of the practice’s work and it’s an unusual approach within the built environment professions, with many architects, builders and designers aiming to leave little to chance.

Floor, walls and column were all clad in carpet tiles, though the exact arrangement of projects was determined organically.

Floor, walls and column were all clad in carpet tiles, though the exact arrangement of projects was determined organically.

Image: Peter Bennetts

The exhibition installation process was also organic. Much of PHOOEY’s work would not be possible without the designers taking a key role in the construction process - and it was the same at the Wunderlich Gallery. Drawing on the idea of cubomania, a surrealist method of making a new image by cutting up an image into squares and reassembling it, the carpet tiles clad most of the interior surfaces of the gallery - including the slender columns. A small model of the gallery space was mocked up, but the detail of where the particular projects ended up and how they would appear was discovered on site. The way the representation of each projects is “hung” reflected the actual project in some way. For example, the tiles representing the Carpet Couch were installed as if the project was rolling down the wall, while those for the Activity Centre at Skinner’s Playground were cut and folded to create a profile reminiscent of the corrugated surface of the shipping container. Although these seem to be literal translations of the three-dimensional forms of the buildings and objects, it was an effective way to generate an impressive impact. Each carpet tile was mounted on a 3.5-metre-long chipboard sheet and these have now been packed away into a shed, waiting to be hung again - adapted to suit the new space.

The accompanying catalogue is also carefully crafted and gives further insight into the practice. The book also pursues the idea of upcycling - instead of producing waste by cropping the pages, they are stuck together and as you flick through the book, you must physically rip the pages apart. This tactile experience of reading the catalogue ties in nicely with the installation. To take this one step further, the printing proofs were used as posters and packaging.

Carpet tiles printed with low-VOC ink presented some of PHOOEY Architects’ work.

Carpet tiles printed with low-VOC ink presented some of PHOOEY Architects’ work.

Image: Peter Bennetts

This exhibition is playful, experimental and directional - Peter Ho says he hopes to learn something new from each project. Rather than focusing on the final product of PHOOEY’s work, the installation explored the processes that interest the practice - upcycling, modular design, experimentation, materiality and construction.

PHOOEY’s processes are organic and flexible; nevertheless there is always underlying strategy. Past criticism of the work relates to the cost-effectiveness of the labour-intensive process. The hands-on approach is difficult to avoid when upcycling, however the practice is constantly investigating ways to make theses processes more efficient. This is particularly relevant in the procurement process. Cutting patterns, sequence of assembly and an accurate survey for the use of existing materials need to be documented, not to mention the prediction of margins of error. In the case of Upcycling, the strategy of cubomania guided the process - predicting exactly what was “coming out” so that it could be “put back in”. But how can this strategy work on a larger scale? How might the process of upcycling become a more mainstream mode of architectural practice? As PHOOEY Architects continues to learn from experience, new ways of thinking about craftsmanship and sustainability will continue to be offered.

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Discussion

Published online: 1 Jan 2011
Words: Katelin Butler
Images: Peter Bennetts

Issue

Architecture Australia, January 2011

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