Timing...

  

Over the weekend, we met (in person) with the co-founder of Volt Energy, Gilbert G. Campbell III in regards to our future solar and wind energy needs.

Volt was more than helpful in regards to the project and have agreed to continue working with parProjects as we continue forward. Price points were discussed as well as structuring our facility to work on or off of the grid.

To our surprise, Mr. Campbell mentioned Volt was featured in this month's issue of Black Enterprise magazine, so please pick up a copy if you'd like to learn more.

Also, you can read their story by clicking this sentence or the image below.

Thanks again,

 parProjects 

Seoul’s Modern Shipping Container Art Center

PLATOON KUNSTHALLE

A striking example of shipping container architecture, Platoon Kunsthalle serves as an exciting and inspiring new exhibit hall and art center in Seoul, Korea. Built from standard shipping containers by Graft Lab Architects. The Art Center also features four visiting artist studio (Labeled A, B, C, D).

Platoon Kunsthalle is part of the Platoon Cultural Development Center, which opened its doors in 2000 in Berlin. Programs and projects in the center focus on street art, graphic design, fashion, video art, programming, music, club culture, political activism, and more.

Graft Lab Architects, who have offices in Los Angeles, Beijing and Berlin, have constructed a very intriguing building out of shipping container boxes – 28 of them in fact. The 40-foot long recycled containers were stacked on top of each other and arranged to create a dynamic and exciting space.

+ Graft Lab Architects

+ Platoon Kunsthalle

Let's do it again Cincy!

Today I was browsing the Pepsi Refresh site, voting for good ideas as usual and I stumbled on a group that I recognized from Cincinnati.
They are Elementz Dance Crew!

Elementz are exciting to watch ...plus they do great things for the community ...and the inner city youth of Cincinnati. Did I mention they're exciting to watch?!? So, of course, I was delighted to see that they were leading the way in their category! I still gave them my vote ...because how could I not?!?

So with that, we at parProjects ask you to do the same. Please take the time to sign up for Pepsi Refresh TODAY. Please vote for Elementz Dance Crew ...and find them (and us) on Facebook if you haven't already.

The links you'll need to do all of this are below:

http://www.refresheverything.com

http://www.refresheverything.com/hiphopandrespect

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1259298273&ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/parProjects

Thanks again,

 parProjects 

What we do...

We've realized, we can't expect you to understand why we'd be able to run the art space we're trying to create without showing you a little more about who we are and what we've done in the past. So below, we're attaching some images of the last art event we held as parProjects.



The above images are from The State of Matter glass exhibition we held in Northside, Cincinnati. Along with the help of the community, we organized and presented an array of glass artworks (from Chicago, Cincinnati, Louisville and Pittsburgh), demonstrations and open studios. Live glass-blowing, flame working, and lathe demos were also enjoyed by the public ...as well as the glass exhibition that took place in three venues ...all within walking distance of one another.

Also to note: We used this show to introduce the shipping container (as gallery space) idea to the public as well ...and received great reviews.

Till next time,

 parProjects 

"The Shipyard" in Berkeley, California

It isn't hard to identify with "The Shipyard" in Berkeley, California. At first we found the relationship to our project interesting, in that the Berkeley space and ours both contain shipping containers alongside a permanent structure ...along with studio space for artists.

But as we investigated the story further, we found that not only could we relate to the structure but also the experience that owner Jim Mason went through when the city of Berkeley abruptly shut down the facility due to its continual growth. Tireless effort had already been dedicated, to provide space for his artists, so when Jim was faced with this unfortunate circumstance, what did he do? He moved his containers (of course) ...since that IS what they are made to do and all. Hmm, what perfect timing to reflect on our experiences thus far.

In addition to his trials and tribulations though, we also found it rather curious that The Shipyard primarily focusses on Kinetic and Electronic artwork ...since we at parProjects are currently in the planning stages of our next two upcoming exhibitions (the first revolving around Kinetic art and the other on video\digital works -- application details coming soon). Again, what great timing.

Relevant links include:

http://www.theshipyard.org/about.html

http://www.theshipyard.org/letter_Berkeley.html

So with that, we'll conclude ...and wish you a...

Happy Turkey Day!!

 parProjects 

Regretfully...

Reality is reality. Therefor you can never expect to get everything you'd like. Bad ideas sometimes make it through the system. And conversely, great ideas are often red flagged ...for reasons that are often hard to understand. The story of Boxman Studios vs The City of Charlotte may indeed be a case of the latter.

Maybe Boxman Studios is too "party" oriented for Charlotte, NC. Or maybe the city of Charlotte really can't find a way to truly understand these creative gentlemen. And I quote:
"It seems to be “so” creative that it does not fit into “any” Zoning or business categories."

Regardless of why though, this story reminds us -- here at parProjects -- that even when the funding and people are in place, nothing is guaranteed. (click here to read more.)

At least for us, our mission to provide services for/within the art community aren't terribly hard to understand. So as we progress with our design, concepts, planning and funding, we sincerely hope the city of Cincinnati not only gives us full approval, but also understands our mission is to help further the arts within the city ...much like the CAC (Contemporary Arts Center) has been doing for Cincinnati's  downtown district.

And with that, we wish you continued success Boxman Studios. Keep up the good work! Maybe Charlotte will come around. If not though, we're sure your success will continue ...as it has in the other cities that have welcomed you so far.


Relevant Links Include:

http://www.isbu-info.org/2010/07/25/boxman-studios-why-charlotte-halts-approval/

http://www.boxmanstudios.com/

http://contemporaryartscenter.org/


See you tomorrow,

 parProjects 

A good day of meetings...

Today was a great day of meetings. We started around 8AM meeting with one of our non-profit mentors/consultants in Northside (Cincinnati) ...receiving some valuable guidance. We transitioned into a tour of Brazee Street school of glass in Oakley (Cincinnati) and learned about some of the new techniques being implored in solar technologies. Then we headed out to BEI Benedict in Middletown, OH with our project engineer to get container specifics that will be needed for the structure concerns of the project.

But now, I'll end this post ...as we pack up the rental van and head off to Pittsburgh, PA to deliver some glass artworks to a couple of artists that participated in our last event -- The State of Matter glass exhibition.

Relevant Links:

http://www.happeninc.com/

http://www.brazeestreetstudios.com/

http://www.bei-benedict.com/

Cheers!

 parProjects 

A city ...named PUMA

So, in keeping with the 100% portable style of container-structure (before delving back into our design/planning), we present PUMA CITY. This was another simple, yet impressive structure that wowed us along the way.

It was designed by the New York based architectural firm Lo-Tek, and is just one of their many efforts in the way of container structures. The interesting thing about Puma City though, is that they don't tell the public when and where they'll pop up next. 

It's a beautiful situation they have worked out. They go into stealth mode as they load/reload the entire structure onto barges etc ...then "Bam!" a publicity magnet pops up on a local pear for every consumer/curious-observer within miles to enjoy.

Sounds/looks good to us. Sounds/looks good to you too, right?!?

And while the overall structure of Puma City is impressive, details such as these power cable connectors and prefabbed walkways remain the most important things for us. In order to keep costs down, components that are already in production will remain paramount.

And on a side note, if interested in  getting lost in a Puma financial planning report, here ya go. It's interesting to see how a company such as Puma graphically lays out items like this (for the public).

http://about.puma.com/wp-content/themes/aboutPUMA_theme/financial-report/pdf/boa.pdf

Other relevant links include:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/fashion/articles/2009/04/23/a_portable_city_visits_fan_pier/

http://www.puma.com/stores/puma-city

http://www.lot-ek.com/

Cheers to another busy day of meetings.

Making it happen,

 parProjects 

Oslo's mobile gallery space

Tonight's post is brought to you live from Oslo (well Google maps live).

Galleri Alexandra Dyvi (GAD) was the first art related structure we found made of containers.  Most notably though, it's the first completely mobile, multi-level unit we found after beginning our search. So by all means, use the tools of the map to take a closer look.

View Larger Map

Built by mmw studio 34, this mobile gallery space has nestled itself in multiple locations within its homeland, Oslo. It's innovative design utilizes large portholes to supply the interior with natural light, as well as dramatic overhangs to give a bit of weightlessness to the structure.

But again, the fact that this building can simply break apart and travel on a whim, gives it extraordinary value. Where would you land it?

Photos:  eirik førde for mmw architects of norway (http://www.mmw.no) 

Thanks for stopping by.

See you soon.

 parProjects 

A "Moderne" sales unit...

Thanks to Jetson Green ( http://www.jetsongreen.com/2010/07/the-moderne-container-sales-center.html ), we've found our next major research destination ...Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If still in place, there lies the first single level, commercial space we've found that is:
a) made of shipping containers b) mobile and c) within driving distance.

This sales center is the temporary structure constructed to sell condo units in The Moderne (http://www.themoderne.net/), a new Milwaukee-high-rise. It's pictured in the background of the above image ...and set to break ground this month. Haha, timing is everything. I guess we have some calls to make.

So with this discovery, it looks like a post-Thanksgiving road trip is in order. Hopefully the sales center is still in operation AND someone from RINKA CHUNG Architecture Inc. ( http://www.rinkachung.com/ ), the company that led this project, is available ...and willing to speak with us in regards to The Road To Refresh.

While we have the electric, plumbing and engineering components of the project in motion (with licensed professionals), the physical slicing & welding of the space remains our next hurdle. Still, with this discovery, our excitement continues.

Relevant Links:

http://www.jetsongreen.com/

http://www.rinkachung.com/

http://www.themoderne.net/

Thanks again,

 parProjects 

parProjects Phase 1...

After designing our full three level structure, we realized if we were going to have a fighting chance to realize our dream, we'd have to break the total build into phases. We figured this would not only help us get things up and running much sooner, but it would also allow us to prove ourselves, initially, before seeking full funding.

So below, is our first phase plan for you all to enjoy. Of course, the design may change again in order to be fully code compliant, but we're sure you can get the idea from this.

Click To Enlarge.

But a "Papertainer Museum" you say?!?

Yes. Just a few miles away in South Korea lies one of the larger discoveries we've made along the way. Its the Papertainer Museum and as its name suggests, its constructed out of densely packed paper (columns etc) ...plus, you guessed it, shipping containers.

Its monumental in scale and green in scope ...recalling one source that notes it only exhibits work/artwork of a recycled nature. So please enjoy this exclusive YouTube clip. When we found it, it had been viewed less than 50 times.



And if you're feeling adventurous, here's a couple of links that you can peruse. Sure, most things aren't written in English, but with a little exploration, I'm sure you'll be able to gather some good info as well. Plus if you can find your way to the video sections, there's much more to enjoy.

http://papertainer.design.co.kr/

http://papertainer.design.co.kr/main2.html

 parProjects 

Zen

As we continue populating the side bar with information that deals with our findings, we look forward to keeping you in the loop with this project.

We've dedicated a substantial amount of time over the past few months focussing thought, taking meetings, creating models, producing diagrams and now we're finally gaining speed.

Tomorrow we present some of our ideas to a (hopefully crowded) classroom of art students at The University of Dayton, so I'll begin wrapping this up now.

Below you'll find a link to a little information dealing with the Barking Riverside Marketing Suite, housed in London. It's only a mere part of the greater Barking Riverside mission, but we find it especially appealing as our design shares a similar tower structure ...as well as the goal of creating a building with an extremely low carbon footprint using sestainable technologies.

Link to: http://www.containercity.com/Barking-Riverside-Marketing-Suite.html

...Then enjoy this nice, quiet video and link that showcase Barking Riverside as a whole.

Via: http://www.barkingriverside.co.uk/

Inspired

Oftentimes it's good to remind yourself of what initially inspired you to do what you do. Here's what started the ball rolling for us. While our plans, currently, don't include hydraulic driven components, it's always good to know what's being created and what's possible.

As our story unfolds, we hope you enjoy this and the many other links that will follow ...via posts and the link bars to the right.

It's Go Time.

As Mr. Hoeting's birthday comes to a close, this blog site begins down the runway. How it'll be advertised, we'll determine as we continue. How popular it'll be, we'll soon find out. How much success it'll contribute to our big idea, we really have know idea.

We do know we're letting this site serve as our business journal while we launch daily updates of images, plans, informative links & meeting notes (as long as an internet connection accessible) ...in preparation to begin applying for grants and fundraising opportunities.

So please, check back often, bookmark us, RSS us, or choose your own way to stay connected. Then, learn with us. Observe with us. And finally, build with us.

Our journey down another unpaved road begins. Tell a friend. Tell a friend to tell a friend ...and have them both recycle that idea.

We are parProjects.

Getting back to it

Our week of relaxation, recovery and catch-up (let's be honest) is behind us now and we've begun taking meetings that, with all luck, will continue to align us with our goals.

We'll obviously be posting more as things progress, but for now we're in the midst of deciding posting  particulars like content, frequency and overall discourse we'll be trying to create with this blog/run-to-the-finish.

Wish us luck. See you soon. Thanks.

This Blog

With this blog site, we at parProjects plan to document our journey towards the application for a Pepsi Refresh grant …slated to be submitted the morning of December 1st, 2010.

Here we'll be covering as many of our daily steps as possible, as we complete the planning stages of our next big project. Everything from scheduling to documentation will be covered here. Daily discoveries that relate to the project will be launched on this site as well.

So please, stay tuned, follow us in some regard, and help us reach our goal.

Thanks to you,
parProjects