ReBuilding Center Workshop: Jewelry Making with Recycled Materials

In this three day workshop instructor Christina Aucone of Modica Design led students in an exploration of the fundamental techniques to creatively integrate recycled materials into jewelry design. They sawed, drilled, filled, wrapped wire and created some truly beautiful works of art from found materials. See before and after pictures below. Learn more about classes and workshops at The ReBuilding Center or register by clicking here.

Adira

Gloria

Lauren

Margit

Solla

McKenna

Susan

The Classroom

Working Together: Turning Ideas Into Action

On Saturday, February 7th 23 individuals from around the Portland area gathered at Euphoria Studios to turn ideas into action. In December and January Community Outreach hosted 5 Community Conversations called Working Together through Challenging Times. Out of all the ideas shared at these conversations, 6 themes emerged: Food Sharing, Celebrating Multicultural Community, Sharing Resources, Environmental Sustainability, Good News, and Neighborhood Activities.

Using an Idea Development Plan groups worked together on ideas based on their common interests. They created a blueprint for their project idea including a purpose, vision and first steps.

We share their project ideas as inspiring examples of people working together. If you are interested in any of the projects, please let Community Outreach know and we can connect you directly with the groups.

Food Sharing

Food sharing as a community interest is growing. 4 people focused on increasing access to local food for hungry residents and created a project called, “Neighborhood Food Outreach Model”. The purpose of their project is to create networks of self-sufficiency based around food on a neighborhood level. This could include cultural food nights, garden swapping, or community composting. Each neighborhood’s network would be distinct--based on the community--and may take on a specific location for gathering or be an informal resource. The group's first step is to evaluate personal and neighborhood resources for creating food networks. Eventually they would like to have a model that they could present to neighborhoods throughout the city. To get involved in this group, email info@ourunitedvillages.org.

Celebrating Multicultural Community

Storytelling was on this group's mind as they brainstormed ways to celebrate multicultural community. They desired to create a “tool-kit” to encourage personal and collective storytelling events in order to connect with neighbors and “encourage minority voices to be heard.” “Spicing the Stew: Encouraging Personal Storytelling to Connect Communities” will be a resource that neighborhood associations and organizations can use in their communities. The first step of this group is to begin researching similar projects and to compile additional resources from the community. To get involved with this group email info@ourunitedvillages.org

Neighborhood Activities

Shared activities can bring neighbors together and build community. This group began by creating a plan for hosting a neighborhood craft night where individuals could work on their own projects in a supportive environment. Additional community service projects could be taken on by the group such as “making Christmas stockings for homeless and low-income youth.” “Craft Night” would allow neighbors and friends to socialize while also accomplishing personal goals. The first step of this group is to identify interested friends and neighbors. To get involved with this group email info@ourunitedvillages.org

Sharing Resources

Have you ever had a bad day and needed someone to talk to? This group decided to create a network for emotional support that would link people having a good day with people having a bad day throughout the city. “Neighborability” would be a peer-to-peer support network that is non-judgmental and serves to connect people. Interested individuals could sign up in acknowledgment of their own life experiences to support community. This group hopes that this project will raise the visibility of everyone’s own resources to support each other. Their first step is to find an existing infrastructure to connect with. To get involved with this group email info@ourunitedvillages.org

Environmental Sustainability

“Sustainability, Economy and You” was the project envisioned by this group to bridge the information gap and engage a broader and more diverse audience in issues of sustainability. This group recognized that currently information about sustainability or the economy is not communicated in terms of personal relevance. They want to create an “official comprehensive community resource information sheet”. This would compile existing information in an easy to understand format. Their first step is to research existing resources and decide which ones to include in the information sheet. To get involved with this group email info@ourunitedvillages.org

To read more about these projects, download resource handouts on the various topics or get involved with one of the groups please visit our website.

ReUse Ideas #1

From the exotic plants of artist Hilary Pfeifer to the use of reclaimed windows and doors at the Sungarden Montessori school in Portland, creative reuse projects abound and are as varied as the materials they use. Here's a sampling of some creative reuse projects from community members.

Hilary Pfeifer's traveling exhibit "Natural Selection" offers an intriguing exploration of intimacy and relationships, while mimicking the ingenuity of nature in its reclamation of used materials. She created an installation of bonsai-like plants made mostly from reclaimed and scrap materials. The greenhouse in which they live was partially made from sliding glass doors donated by The ReBuilding Center.

Read more about this inspiring exhibition. (Photos courtesy of Hilary Pfeifer).

The Sungarden Montessori school has also demonstrated the spirit of reuse by enhancing their space with the addition of a few colorful doors and windows.

And finally, thank you to Suzi Cloutier for sharing this message with us:

"10 years ago, I rebuilt my 250 square foot cabin with less than $500 worth of materials from the ReBuilding Center. It was a Godsend to a broke gal trying to make life work in a tiny house in the trees (which I lovingly did for 6 years). I love it and its mission as much today as I did back then, and am collecting parts for my next building project which will be a FULLY recycled materials Cobb Home."

Way to go Suzi! Best of luck on your project.

The ReUse Ideas Project is supported by the visitors and friends of The ReBuilding Center who generously share their ideas and inspiration to promote the creative reuse of salvaged materials. Thank you! Click here to share your reuse genius.

deconstruction : n. 1. the selective disassembly of a building structure in reverse order of assembly, usually by hand to maximize the re-harvest of materials for reuse. 2. an essential component of sustainble, green building.

Since 1999, DeConstruction Services of The ReBuilding Center has helped hundreds of homeowners, contractors and others with remodeling and building removal projects of all scopes and sizes.

2008 was a productive year for DeConstruction Services. The phone rang off the hook, yielding 569 intakes. These eventually became 122 projects, supplying The ReBuilding Center with materials from:

• 26 whole houses and apartments
• 18 detached garages
• 16 partial structures
• 3 really BIG barns
• 29 kitchens
• 19 skims
• 8 bathrooms (plus 74 hotel baths to date)
• 6 chimneys

Just for fun DeConstruction Services also took apart:

• 1 tiny shed
• 1 funky foundation
• 1 huge bookshelf
• 1 personal rock climbing wall
• 1 beautiful Brazilian cherry floor
• 1 WWII PT Boat
• 2 basements

During 2008, DeConstruction Services also engaged in projects to help promote the use of deconstruction over traditional demolition. We:

• Hosted an intern to create a proposal to train professional Interior Designers in the use deconstruction methods.
• Worked with PSU students to create the DeConstruction Density Mapping Project to promote more deconstruction over demolition!
• Provided resources and advise for 8 organizations interested in deconstruction.

We are very pleased to see such positive support of DeConstruction Services and the process of deconstruction in general. We look forward to another fantastic year and want to extend our sincere gratitude to all those in the community who continue to support and promote our efforts. To learn more about DeConstruction Services, visit our website, www.rebuildingcenter.org/deconstruct