Sustainability, Starling, And Self-Sufficiency

As the Earth becomes more populated and humans experience increased life expectancy, there has also been an increase in carelessness. As far as concerns for the environment, humans have been lacking in the practice of sustainability, recycling, and self-sufficiency, and this has become a major issue. Due to these deficiencies, humans have drastically lost their intimate connections with the planet’s natural materials and geographical landmarks. That being said, it is crucial that the public starts to shift from harmful behaviors toward activities that promote building a better relationship with the environment. Considering the matters mentioned previously, these issues are cohesive and tend to bounce off each other as each incident occurs.
This piece greatly highlights the importance of sustainability, recycling, and self-sufficiency. As a representation of “mobile architecture, this project involved the movement of a found structure, an old wooden shed, from one riverside location to another” . Sustainability is expressed within this specific project because it shows that materials and tools can be maintained in order to create (or recreate) instruments, devices, or other contraptions. Instead of simply using fresh and first-hand supplies, Starling dodges the depletion of worn out and old material and develops new ways to endure its meaning and value in a different form. The incorporation of sustainability bounces off onto the practice of recycling. There are various ways in which different materials can be used and reused; even when the final project may serve a completely different purpose from the original artifact. Starling’s practice of sustainability and recycling further support another positive practice for the environment: self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is evident in “Shedboatshed” because constructing some sort of shelter out of local material like the lumber Starling used, will heavily decrease the number of toxins produced by human activities (e.g. transportation to purchase the products, or the mass production entailed to produce the materials, etc.). All things considered,
It educates the public on “building environmental understanding [by] clarifying and enhancing the understanding of information and issues and generating concern” Speaking for itself, the display presents many opportunities for the viewer. It helps to open the eyes of people who have not realized how simple it is to positively impact the planet by strengthening their relationship with it. The “working method [of this project] constitutes recycling, in the most literally circular sense of the word: repurposing existing materials for new, artistic aims” . It also “retells existing stories to produce new historical insights; linking looping, and remaking” . This magnificent work of art is so versatile and exquisite. Not only did it conquer the land, but also water. It defeated functional fixedness on so many levels. What only seemed like a pile of wood was actually an opportunity to guide society in making changes for the