Rikkert Paauw en Jet van Zwieten transform dumpsters into little buildings with public functions, with the aim to show that urban waste can be re-used as an inspiring construction material. Using a dumpster as the foundation for these little houses made out of trash is both symbolic and practical.
In three different districts of the Dutch city of Utrecht, the ‘recyclitects’ filled containers with discarded materials found in the neighborhood and donated by locals. After a week, Paauw and Van Zwieten transformed the dumpsters and their contents into neatly looking kiosk-style buildings. The Recykiosks have different public functions that depend on their location. One of the kiosks is a flexible public bar to be used for events. It’s really easy to move the bar to a new location, as it can be be picked up by the same truck that usually transports dumpsters.
Last month the three buildings that were made in Utrecht were relocated to the city center to transform a public area into an event space that showcased a program of small acts, debates and music. The idea of developing a dumpster into a small building was originally intended to be a logo for Rikkert Paauw’s design office Stortplaats van Dromen, but turned out to become a ‘real’ concept for a mobile bar that could be made everywhere in the world.
