CANOPY CONSTRUCTION

The world watched this summer as a gushing oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico destroyed habitats, ruined livelihoods, and wasted precious natural resources. Now more than ever, conserving any and all materials made available to us is becoming an emphasis on our daily lives that we cannot ignore. In the spirit of innovation and conservation, UNC Charlotte’s School of Architecture and McColl Center for Visual Art have teamed up to install a permanent canopy made of recycled industrial bi-products.

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According to the EPA, in 2007 over 164 million tons of construction and demolition waste was deposited in landfills*. Additionally, we know many industries produce large amounts of excess material that can be collected and re-used.  A team, headed by Chris Beorkrem, Visiting Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with four students, Jeff Scott, Igor Polyakov, Ronna Gardner and James Mattison have designed a way to use discarded materials in an innovative way.

Located in the back lot, neighboring the manse, a canopy is being erected composed primarily of recycled industrial by-products, shipping pallets and salvaged steel.  The installation is expected to be completed by the end of August.

Through the team’s diligence, they have developed a clear and repeatable process that could potentially be useful for exploring how other products or waste of our culture can now be reconsidered as possible building blocks for design. The installation, funded by the Arts and Science Council and the EPA, will serve as an example within our community to provoke discussion about the integration of complex technologies and artistic vision with recycled products.

*Napier, Tom. "Construction Waste Management." Whole Building Design Guide. 15 June 2007. US Army Corps of Engineers 11 Apr. 2008 (http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cwmgmt.php)