Area artist Miles Epstein crafted this table out of recycled corrugated cardboard, salvaged floorboards, and heavy-duty cardboard tubes. The table was accompanied by a stool made of rolled and carved corrugated cardboard, topped with a comfy seat of wine corks.
Berkeley-based Concreteworks sculpted this island specifically for ScrapHouse. The countertop and sink are seamlessly integrated, both made of pieces of colorful tiles set in concrete, which was then glazed to give it a smooth finish. The countertop is available for purchase through Concreteworks, with proceeds going to Public Architecture.
This unique sculptural piece was loaned to ScrapHouse. The piece itself was made by area artist Brian Goggin, whose most public installation using this type of sculpture is called “Defenestration” (1997), an entire building covered with this crawling furniture, located at the corner of Sixth Street and Howard.
One of ScrapHouse’s most defining features was the staircase, which led up to the mezzanine bedroom. The heavy timber steps and scrap iron banister arrived on a flatbed truck and required a forklift to hoist into place. The staircase was designed and fabricated by Tony Dominski and his team at West Edge Metals.
Designed by area artist Simon Cheffins, this colorful chandelier is made of old traffic light lenses. The lenses were generously donated by Building REsources.
Interior Finishes
Conveyor Belt Floors & WallsStrips of conveyor belts proved useful as flooring in the downstairs hallway and also as wall covering in the upstairs mezzanine. The conveyor belt scraps were generously donated by the Department of Facilities Operations & Maintenance at SFO International Airport.
Fire Hose WallsThick yellow fire hoses, previously used by the San Francisco Fire Department, covered the walls of an entire room. The hoses ran from floor to ceiling.
Keyboard WallAlthough popular with kids and adults alike, ScrapHouse’s keyboard wall was nothing more than aesthetic. It was coated with intumescent (fire retardant) paint, which fluffs up like Styrofoam when exposed to fire. Materials were provided by Bay Area Painting and Alameda County Computer Resource Center.
Molding/Trim WallTraditionally used to frame walls, windows, and doorways, ScrapHouse’s wall of molding and trim provided a towering collage of color. All salvaged, the molding and trim pieces varied in length from six inches to sixteen feet. The trim was generously donated by Building REsources
Phonebook WallLooking through ScrapHouse’s main entryway, visitors were greeted by a wall made of 1,500 phonebooks stacked vertically. The phonebooks were affixed to the sheet metal wall covering with two self-tapping screws drilled through the spine of the book. The phonebooks acted as insulation and helped with the acoustics of the main space.
Solid Core Door FloorOur scrap floor is made of solid core doors from a school. We filled the window and doorknob holes with quick set concrete.
Tiled Leather FloorThough it turns out leather isn’t an appropriate flooring material in high traffic areas, it can be used as a wonderful surface in lower traffic zones. Then again, most spare bedrooms have less than 4,000 visitors a day!
Exterior Materials
Billboard Fence & RoofDue to its temporary nature, ScrapHouse’s was roof was made of old vinyl billboards. The fence that extended from the North wall was clad in the same vinyl billboards, folded into strips. The billboards were generously donated by Clear Channel Communications.
Glass WallsFour of ScrapHouse’s exterior walls were made of glass. Tempered, double pane windows were shingled into a steel racking system designed to accommodate the mismatched sizes. In high-rise construction, companies can’t afford to blow the schedule because a window breaks, so they over order windows.
Sheet Metal ShinglesAll of the shingles on the house represent just two weeks of scrap from NuStar Metal Fabricators, which generously donated them.
Steel Stud Roof TrussesSteel studs are an unusual material for roof trusses. When we mocked up a two-truss span and tested it for deflection (how much it bent under weight), our experimental truss held much more weight than was required. Many of the steel studs looked brand new or unused because they were; the majority were surplus was local construction sites.
Street Sign SidingStreet and traffic signed were used as siding for one entire exterior wall, some of which were visible from the interior. The signs were donated by the San Francisco Department of Public Works.
Cardboard Table & Stool
Concrete Countertop & Sink
Crawling Table
Staircase & Bannister
Traffic Light Chandelier