Sunday, December 11, 2011

Photos of the process

Working on a gutter/flashing system to prevent water from running into gaps between stage and roof.




I'll paint the flashing silver to blend with the rest of the structure.


Installing vents in the roof and ceiling to prevent mold from forming inside structure.



Finishing the ceiling with Raw Linseed Oil. Eventually I'll replace the 1x2 with a nice Redwood, also framing the ceiling vent holes with Redwood.


I love splitting Redwood, so beautiful on the inside and great against rot, mold, and bugs.











Signing off, Sarah~

Friday, November 4, 2011

Trials & Tribulations~

Hallie and I had some serious set-backs beginning and sustaining this project.  

1. We worked with a well-intentioned designer who requested a leadership role; yet, was unable to follow-through with time commitments and a professional, detailed design. His interest in the project seemed to waver when it was necessary to move past theoretical discussions and into practical application. This created a huge time crunch for us.

2. We had issues getting a company to build custom built trailers with our specifications. We were already behind schedule, and then the trailers took longer to arrive than we planned. 

3. Despite our marketing and fund-raising efforts, we had very little funding.

4. We had a difficult time securing and maintaining a safe, dry space to build; we were moved off university property before our first structure was complete or road-ready. Because we had to move quickly the designer stepped in and helped us build one day; his one and only design for my structure--columns that create a structurally integral roof system self-supportive and independent of the stage walls--were measured incorrectly. Voicing my concern did no good. Time impediments and a high level of tension created a frantic, work environment. Because of quick, thoughtless judgement calls, there are gaps between the roof and the stage panels creating a serious weatherproofing issue; this means that rain leaks into my structure around all three stage panels. 


So, how does this relate to my daily life...

Last week around 11:30 pm I turned on the light inside my structure. It was raining outside that evening and the rain was not only leaking through the back stage wall, but was actually streaming down from the top like isolated little waterfalls. I was absolutely horrified. It's scary to think that everything I have financially is tapped into this structure. If you don't know me I'll tell you now that I've been on my own since I was 14. I put myself through high school, through undergrad and through grad school. There's no trust fund, no savings account, no supportive encouraging parents who lend a helping hand when I need it. I live check by check, like a lot of people in this world who are lucky enough to have work. So horrified doesn't even begin to sum up the way I felt at that moment. This structure has been made possible by three credit cards, and a handful of amazing people who volunteered their time and a lot of love.


What this amounts to is that I had to take the back wall apart, let it dry out, bleach it for mold, put it all back together and caulk again. This, believe it or not, takes a lot of time. It also means that I need to do this to the other two stage walls as well. Here are some photos of the process:

removing the galvanized steel


peeling off the caulking

galvanized steel off- OSB exposed

taking OSB off

OSB off and 2x4's exposed
I let it air out and breathe for a day, then I bleached it and let it sit for another day.


Might as well insulate while I'm at it!
- in Texas the fiberglass faces the inside as opposed to up north-


My first residency at Austin Peay was fantastic, and I'm disappointed to admit that future events will be curtailed until I work out some of these kinks. But things take time, and I am where I am.

I'm grateful to be in Huntsville Texas. Even though it's a serious culture-shock, the people I'm working with are phenomenal. Dan Phillips warned me about humidity and mold in my structure, so I've decided to add a couple of roof/ceiling vents (similar to an RV). He showed me a huge stack of flashing in his back yard today and offered to let me use whatever I need. At the moment I'm volunteering for his organization, the Phoenix Commotion, and in a week I'll be hired on as a crew member. It's not much money (minimum wage), but I'm learning new skills while I continue working out issues inside my structure.

Over the next month or two I'll be redoing the roof as well as the other two stage panels, installing a couple of venting systems in the roof, figuring out a pulley system so the walls are easier to move, insulating and finishing the interior, and weatherproofing the windows and door. I've also met some artistic, lively folks who are interested in pulling my structure out into the community and partaking in some performance events. I'm hoping this happens mid-December.

My final thoughts for the day; If you decide to take on a project of this magnitude, make sure you do a few things:

1. Secure a stable, safe, and permanent location to build your structure.
2. Invest time and energy finding the right people for the project; don't compromise.
3. Work with builders! I can't stress this enough. Philosophers, theorists, researchers, and designers are fantastic, interesting, creative people, but you really need the kind of knowledge a builder brings to the table. You also need people with the clarity, transparency and follow-through that is necessary for such a large endeavor. 
4. If you set a goal of three months to completion, give yourself a year buffer. Just for peace of mind. 

Signing off~
Sarah

Friday, October 21, 2011

Huntsville TX

I landed in Huntsville Texas Tuesday October 18th to meet Dan Phillips and to become part of the Phoenix Commotion team. I learned about Phillips soon after my interest in the tiny house movement; I was interested in building with reclaimed material and somehow I landed on his site. I've been a fan ever since. Phillips doesn't build tiny homes, but he uses roughly 80% reclaimed material for the homes he creates. He also builds low cost housing, a $150,000-350,000 structure is built for $20-50,000. This was incredibly inspiring, especially after researching the costly green homes being manufactured for the folks who come from "good" stock. The homes Phillips creates are also quite innovative. Below is a photo of a project he's finishing up now; this, I believe, is his first contract with a company--T.J. Burdett & Sons Recycling Center.


The walls and floor are made out of marble that was being thrown out.




The photos don't even compare to stepping into this space. The detail is astounding.

My plan is to stay in Huntsville through March/April, work and learn from Phillips, continue to work on my structure, and to perform and/or create community events with the dwelling when I have the inclination.

For info on Phillips: http://www.phoenixcommotion.com/




Friday, October 7, 2011

Building & Traveling


I stayed at The Land of the Lakes in Kentucky from October 3-6; I didn’t plan on stopping, but I had some extra time before my next destination. It was beautiful out there. I didn’t ventured out much. Instead I bought a little propane tank and some groceries, spent time rearranging my space and finding lone spots to continue working on the structure.

Before leaving I managed to finish waterproofing and caulking the underbelly (OSB attached to the metal frame), and I added some 1”x2” to the roof since it was uneven and bowed. I also carted most of the mess (wood, metal sheeting, etc.) from inside the structure to the back of my truck, which was more difficult than it sounds b/c of my Honda in the back. I thought about getting rid of the bike before I left, but knew I couldn’t do it! I’m looking forward to taking her out for a spin soon. I hear there are some beautiful slopes and curves at my next destination. 



Here are a few photos


Best! S

Monday, October 3, 2011

Building & Traveling

I've begun my Raw Art Tour with the Eco-Mobile. Very exciting stuff posted on my Raw Art Tour blog; I won't repeat here, but the blog URL is below:
http://rawarttour.blogspot.com/

Before leaving Urbana I had some help insulating the roof and putting a thin layer of galvanized steel around the frame. The roof insulation isn't complete, but it's good for now, and the steel I finished up during my residency at Austin Peay State University last week. There is still a lot to do, but I'm getting there!

Here are some photos for those of you who are curious!





Best to you all and thanks for reading:)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Hello,
I am well rested and ready to meet my next destination, Deadwood, South Dakota.  But first, a recap...

On Saturday morning, I rolled into Mulberry Grove, IL.  I arrived to see the trailer with completed subfloor (only those of us who worked on Sarah's floor can truly understand how relieving this is!!) packed with all my building SIPs.  Ken of Eagle Panels and his employee helped me get rolling.  It seemed the trailer brakes didn't work, but everything else was ready. I drove through Kansas, stopped at a truck stop service center to inquire about the brakes... with one flip of a dial, all brakes were in excellent working order. But I noticed as the mechanic fiddled with brakes that the boxes on the trailer had migrated forward about 12 inches. The OSB floor was slippery! I needed a forklift. That night I stayed in Kansas City. On Sunday afternoon I stopped at Home Depot.  Mike and Nathan took an hour out of their day to put the boxes back on center with a forklift and make other fixes.  Problem solved. That afternoon I drove North on I29 through the most beautiful state in the midwest, Nebraska. Imagine Illinois cornfields, plus trees, hills and rivers!  It took all night, thanks to multiple detours for flood repairs, but I made it to Sioux City, IA by 4am Monday morning.  After a nap that lasted til mid-morning, I drove onward, into South Dakota and finally to my current location, my first wild destination, Badlands National Park!

Last night, Monday at 5pm, I wandered the grounds of my hotel.  (I checked into the Badlands Inn because it was raining, and I'm lazy!)  I took photos like a true tourist, then hoofed it to the lodge and back, making the most of the lasting light.  The night sky cleared, and the visible milky way shot many a star above me.  Farther west, a lightning storm flickered, so I perched myself on the fence to watch the show.  Apparently, it was a vantage for the locals, because a giant bird, either a hawk or a owl (it was too dark to determine which) flew in and perched next to me on a park sign about ten feet away.  He purred, literally!  And the wind howled, the crickets played, and I heard the sound of myself unravel for the first time in many months.

This is what EcoDance, for me, is about.  Unraveling.  Hearing deeper sounds, sounds beneath the mental twitters and chirps of the urban life.  Urban life is a requirement as a dancer-- it is the only place where enough dancers congregate to make a dance community.  But urban life doesn't provide one necessity, and this I realized as I walked past a lonely little wild sunflower last night.  As a dancer, I need the wild because it doesn't need me, or my art.  I need it to survive in it, live briefly in accordance to laws above my understanding, the most complex and perfect aesthetics I have ever observed.  THAT is what feeds my work. To live in a place that is greater than any artwork, if only briefly, is what feeds my art.

This morning my hotel-mates packed up busily at dawn, preparing to DO something remarkable, to observe this fabulous place.  But, their emphasis is on the doing-- driving to the perfect view at the perfect time of day with the perfect picnic packed, parked in perfect lot slot. By 9am, the only people left to keep me company were two young asian girls.  They paraded back and forth past my balcony window, cupping their hands to peek into my uncurtained window (the mountain view from this bed is fabulous), chatting to each other and waving hello.  Together we watched the cliff shadows shifting underneath the rising sun, without doing anything, really.

Okay, I'm packing up, next destination, Deadwood.  I won't be online for a couple days... more later!  Thanks for reading. -Hallie

Friday, August 26, 2011

Hallie begins the trek toward building

Hello EcoDs,
I haven't used this blog yet, I thought today is a good day to start.  I pick up my SIPs today.  What is a SIP?  It is a Structurally Integrated Panel (acronym SIP).  Basically, it is insulation sandwiched between the house exterior material and the house interior material.  In my case, the panels are made of, from outside to inside: aluminum + ply + rigid foam insulation + pretty ply.  They come in many sizes.  In my case, they are mostly 4 x 8 foot panels, which is the size of a standard sheet of plywood.  Ken Disch, at Eagle Panel Systems has helped in coordination with myself and Mark Taylor to provide me with enough SIP panels to put the entire dwelling together quickly and in a way that allows a cantilvered beamless stage design.  He is saving me tons of time by connecting the SIP subfloor to the flatebed trailer.  From the experience of drilling into Sarah's trailer, I can tell you it is a difficult job that I am grateful to the experts for completing!

So, later this afternoon I go to Mulberry Grove, IL, attach my new (to me) diesel truck to my new (to the world!) flatbed trailer w/ attached SIP subfloor.  I say goodbye to the midwest, and begin my journey west!

Stay tuned for pictures and more posts.... meanwhile, check out our website.  Sarah and I updated it and made a few changes for clarity's sake.  I hope you like it! --Hallie

Sunday, August 7, 2011

We're building!

We finally have our trailer and have been building this past week, which involved hours of drilling into very thick metal. We have the subfloor finished and are now working on the storage space.  This will take a bit of time and careful planning to make sure everything is locked in tight and structurally sound.

A HUGE thank you goes out to Dave Singer and Jon Ustin for coming out and helping us build this past week!

We must find a new location to build by August 12th, and we would like to have a structurally sound skeleton finished by then so it's safe to re-locate. This means we could use LOTS of help this week. If you're in the area and you can help us build, please give us a call and let us know. 312.301.0714. The more hands we have the quicker we can build.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Kickstarter


  • Kickstarter accepted EcoDance Project! We are very excited. For our promo video, and for general info click on this link:
    • & you get gifts:)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A huge thank you to Natalie Fiol!

A huge thank you goes out to Natalie Fiol for coming out and taking photos of our models.
We have lots to show you--sketches, videos, models, but we'll just share photos of our models today! Our models are fit to scale.


This is Sarah's model. 
Roof-top stage, ground-level, outdoor stage and ground-level, indoor stage.
The kitchen table will be pulled out of the floor when in use.



This is Hallie's model.
The back and sides pull down for extra stage space.
This murphy bed will be flush up against the wall when not in use.
This is a 6 foot person.



Yup. You guessed it.

Fitting the models together


Hallie

Sarah


Sarah's model
the blue globe is a hanging contraption for aerial work.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Collected Material

Look at all of the beautiful reclaimed wood we've collected! Exciting. We're also looking for rigid foam board. Do you have some or know anyone who does? Send 'em our way! :)






Saturday, March 19, 2011

Fundraiser!

On Tuesday evening, March 29th 2011, EcoDance is hosting our first fundraiser at Corkscrew's Buvons Wine Bar in Urbana, Illinois. The funds generated will be used to purchase two 8x21ft flatbed trailers so that we can begin building two eco-friendly mobile performance dwellings. 


•Join us: 203 North Vine Street in Urbana Illinois. An entrance donation of ten dollars at the door covers appetizers, music, performance, games, and more. 7:30 pm – 10:30pm.


•Sponsor us: A suggested donation of $25-100 (gifts of other amounts are always welcome) receives special regards on our website sponsor page. Contributions of $35 and above receive one complimentary ticket. If you are not able to attend our event and would like to make a financial contribution, please find us online at Wepay: http://www.wepay.com/donate/98091.


Volunteer for us: Please help us prepare, present, or promote this event with labor and/or expertise. You will join the growing list of co-sponsor on our website, and receive one complimentary ticket.

Thank you for your time and consideration.  We hope to see you at Buvon's!
EcoDance Collaborators

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Architect on board!

We officially have a principle investigator in the architect department working on our research project with us! Mark Taylor has recently joined us and he brings a wealth of experience with him. Particularly compelling for us is his work on the 2009 and 2011 solar decathlons. For info. on his work, check out:
http://2009.solardecathlon.illinois.edu/gallery.html
http://www.solardecathlon.illinois.edu/



His profile, bio, and interest in this collaboration will be up on our website soon. 

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Hi Folks! Now that we have our trailer and some building material, we will begin building our small-scale eco-mobile. We are looking for a few things:

1) Someone with building know-how and the proper tools to help with our small-scale eco-mobile model. We would like to gather and hone skills before beginning construction on the big eco-mobiles in May.

2) A space to work on our projects. We are particularly looking for garage space, but we're open to lawn space as well.

If you have any leads or would like to volunteer yourself, please contact us either through our blog or at ecodance2@gmail.com.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Grassroots

This grassroots collecting is great. I had no idea so many people would get involved. You say you need something and all of a sudden it just begins showing up in various quantities. We went to Corkscrew the other day and came out with a little bucket of cork; later on that week a friend visited and pulled a single, solitary cork out of her purse. I LOVE. How this makes me. Smile. S

Thursday, February 10, 2011

We have a trailer! Thanks to Brian Behrns for lending us his truck!

Okay. The trailer we have is just for the small-scale model, but we're still excited. Thanks to Brian Behrns for lending us his pick-up truck, we travled to Oakley Illinois (an hour for Urbana) and picked up a 5x8 trailer to be used for our small-scale eco-mobile. It's barebones, but that's what we're looking for. We'll begin building in the next few weeks.