Waste Not

Cindy Coleman -- Interior Design, 10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Daley Plaza was littered with young architects talking trash. More specifically, they were showing off their "ecologically intelligent urban recycling receptacles" for Chicago's first Rethink/Redesign/Recycle competition. Sponsored by the municipal Green Initiatives Committee and the AIA Chicago Young Architects Forum, the event called for smart design—and smart designers—to resolve complications in the city's ambitious recycling program. (Source separation versus single-stream collection, to mention just one example.)

The winner was the three-slot elliptical EcoTrio: Besides clearly demonstrating how to sort items, it was itself partly made of reclaimed materials. The city plans to prototype the design and give it a go.

EcoTrio

award: First place.

designers: Deborah Kang; Amanda Smith.

construction: Aluminum, steel, and reclaimed copper.

support: Gartner Lee; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

rethinking: The sculptural quality brings beauty to the cityscape.

Green Being

award: Second place.

designers: Steffi Sa Xaio; Emily Siegler.

construction: Roto-molded plastic.

support: Webb Scarlett de Vlam; Hatcher Model Associates.

rethinking: Whimsical spheres on tripods make recycling fun.

Trios

award: People's choice.

designers: Jeff Birzele; Craig Kolstad; Alex Martinez; Yousef Nawas.

construction: Reclaimed scrap plastic, Vyko Board, and powder-coated metal coated, laser-cut, and digitally imprinted.

support: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; Chicago American Manufacturing; Digital Imaging Resources.

rethinking: See-through perforations address homeland-security concerns.

Untitled

award: Top 25 finalist.

designer: Tom Brock.

construction: Recycled bicycle and car tires and parts, stacked and riveted.

support: Blackstone Bicycle Works.

rethinking: Kids constructed these as part of a nonprofit community training program.

Untitled

award: Top 25 finalist.

designers: P. Marvin Dalimartha; Justin Mickow.

construction: Recycled aluminum for the frame, recycled plastic for containers, and particleboard made of scrap wood and non-formaldehyde resin.

rethinking: The top keeps the containers dry and doubles as a planting bed.