A ‘Greenhouse By Joost’ has been set up in Melbourne for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the latest incarnation of the pop-up restaurant that combines food, art, building design and ecology.
With Greenhouse, Joost Bakker endeavours to demonstrate to people how we can live a life that’s more environmentally sustainable by making simple changes and altering our perceptions.
The Dutch born florist/artist/builder/designer/environmentalist analyses the environmental impact of every element of the building, every element of the whole project. Everything is recycled or considered sustainable.
Ecoply plywood is one of the building products that has been used extensively in the new Greenhouse for non-structural cladding, wall panels and furniture, inside and out.
The plywood’s manufacturer issues a press release that explains Bakker has always been an advocate for the benefits of Ecoply — low embodied energy, economical use of a sustainable resource and local production and the extremely low formaldehyde emissions — as tested and certified by the EWPAA.
Bakker’s next plans include for a permanent Greenhouse to be introduced to London later this year. Plywood has been used for everything from cladding and flooring to furniture, artworks and even plates.
According to Ecoply, the product selected for the build is quite knotty. Designers and builders traditionally use clear face plywood (BD grade) for ‘appearance’ projects, but Bakker specifically utilises lower grades including Ecoply CD and DD and even packaging grade plywood.
“I love the appearance. It’s warm and comfortable and makes for a beautiful space. I leave it raw so you see the knots — you see it was a tree, its age, the seasons.” says Bakker.
Photography by Earl Carter
