The following visitor comments were written on flip-chart placed in what was affectionately called the "Fire Hose Room," near ScrapHouse's back door.
“Great example of people working together toward a goal.”
“Amazing work of art--very creative minds.”
“Colorful, fun, interactive--great creative use of everyday objects. Love the outside, but maybe without the pedestrian crossing signs!”
“Amazing example and inspiring.”
“Lovely and funny. Only in San Francisco.”
“Wow, with a little imagination, we can be green.”
“Being in the trade for 15 years, it is interesting to see this house built from scrap.”
“Thank you for visioning potential for housing in a time when it seems refuse dominates our space. Creative reuse must be a strategy we use in sustainability.”
“Creative and fun; I love the houses, keyboards, phone books. It’s creative art--would anyone live in it?”
“Great fire hoses!”
“Can you come build in my backyard?”
“Awesome, ideal living and eco solution. But is it realistic?”
“I would not use e-waste on my walls (contains lead)!!!”
“You could design my home any day.”
“I love the fire hoses, since I have a fetish for that good work! But doesn’t some of this scrap material give off toxic smells?”
“Inspired warm and livable.”
“Why no southern exposure for passive solar?”
“Where do I sign up? Is this my next home?”
“ScrapHouse is both green and not green. The smell of printed newsprint phone books was not great for my asthma, and your bathtub likely leeches lead from the old enamel coating? But I think there’s potential to solve those problems.”
“OK, I’ll buy it. How much?”
“Great concept, but way too big for sustainable family living.”
“Can I please live here?”
“I wish the president could see this.”
“A piece of art, I read the ‘advice’ from previous and want to thank you for the inspiration.”
“Does it come in turquoise?”
“It’s a really awesome house. Is it for sale?”
“Great scrap house; please require politicians to live here.”
“A beautiful piece of artwork. The vintage dresses in the closet were a nice touch. I love the sinks.”
“Good work, you guys are scrap happy!”
“Please build one for me.”
“Thanks for making clear how much waste we generate with providing gorgeous solution.”
“Starting a new trend that will rescue our planet. Thanks.”
“Undeveloped countries would love to squat in this!”
“Good performance. Nice recycle work out!”
“Looks like my place.”
“Purpose-Aesthetics-Demand. Thank you.”
“Thanks for the inspiration. Keep it up!”
“Good job! I want one just like this have a garage full of the same items. Thank you for your work and letting us see it.”
“We love the ‘fence.’”
“I love this house. Very imaginative.”
“The fire hose room is so much fun. Is this an answer to homelessness?”
“So what is the real use? To teach the rich to be more green? I guess it’s groovy to be creative when you are able to.”
“This place is great!! I love how the doors are used as the floor!”
“I’d love to live here. Where can I get one of those chandeliers?”
“Outstanding work! Is the structural engineering on the recycled metal stud trusses available?”
“I think it’s a lot of scrap!”
“Would it hold up in Minnesota winters?”
“Brilliant. More of us need to prioritize reducing and reusing before recycling.”
“I love the fish in front.”
“Not bad at all but I need a three bedroom house.”
“It’s amazing how a mind gets the job done.”
“Where’s the kitchen? I’m hungry.”
“The fire hose room is the best.”
“Really creative but the keyboard walls I did not like. I loved the phonebook walls and the fire hose walls.”
“Smashin’ good job.”
“I want this house.”
“I’ll take the sink, you can keep the rest.”
“Awesome, when can I move in?”
“I found the house to contain a wonderful collection of creative ideas for adaptive reuse. The use of texture is especially commendable (e.g. the fire hose).”
“Would be even more powerful if it housed more than an aesthetic solution to ‘scarcity’--and sad to walk past this, each day on the way home, when so many homeless.”
“Is this a study in materials or building practices? In this town, city building inspector would remove this faster than you could spit. There are more rules and regulations about what you cannot do than you can imagine. Go ask the guys in the fancy RV out front.”
“This is the third time back. We love it!”
“I really loved the creative use of materials and finishes!”
“My mom can build a whole neighborhood with all her scrap.”
“Can I rent it? How much?”
“Let us upstairs!”
“A real housing solution or alternative to being homeless.”
“I think this is a very creative fun work and after all cheap to build it up.”
“What wonderful ideas!”
“This is living 2005. Time for change. It’s time to be real to start a new life.”
“Yeah. Glorious garbage!”
“My bags are packed; I’m ready to move in.”
“I love garbage.”
“I love the keyboard wall!”
“Fabulous!”
“Let’s scrap PG&E. This house rocks!”
“So well delivered! People already live in scrap houses, just take a tour of Bayview or go to Mexico.”
“Make Gavin live here for a week!”
“Looks like a yuppie live/work condo.”
“Great concept, great message. Make it a permanent exhibit.”
“Pirate housing for all!”
“Who will dust all of those keyboards? Rodents will really eating and nesting.”
“The hoses are foxy. Great reuse!”
“Wish you could keep it.”
“I like the fish in the pond.”
“I love the peacefulness of this place.”
“Building miniature homes in the backyard out of sheds is the key to utilize housing space.”
“I covet the fire hose wall coverings.”
“Nice house .Too bad someone can’t live in it.”
“Maybe I can afford a house after all! Great vision.”
“Great house, build more for the homeless.”
“Conservation is cool.”
“Let’s do more of these for everyone.”
“I want the stairs.”
“Give land to the homeless and then we can build these.”
“I want the lamp.”
“There’s a lot of love in this house.”
“I wish there was a new one built every month.”
“This is something else. Do it again.”
“You are my inspiration to go on.”
“Would the permit cost more than the house?”
“Fabulous table and stool.”
“Who knew scrap can look nice.”
“I want to go upstairs.”
“Incredible. What’s the labor cost per square foot? “
“I think this is a great experience for little kids learning to recycle.”
“Creative! Beautiful! Intelligent! We need more socially-conscious architecture.”
“Lots of fun, but how would you clean those surfaces?”
“What municipal building code would pass this structure?”
