SEED Collaborative has teamed up with Method Homes for the construction of what it hopes will become the first modular building to pass the Living Building Challenge. The SEEDclassroom is designed to be a portable teaching space available at short notice, and yet one which meets its own energy and water needs.The SEEDclassroom is a place for children to learn and think about sustainability (SEED itself standing for Sustainable Education Every Day). Each 900 sq ft (84 sq m) building catches rainwater to be used in the sinks and basins, from which water is intercepted once again, and filtered through a "living wall" of edible plants. The classroom's energy is provided by rooftop solar power.
Dwell's editors cover the prefab showcase at Dwell on Design 2013, including the Method Paradigm Prefab.
The SEEDClassroom is the world’s first portable, self-sustaining classroom to target Living Building Challenge certification—one of the world's most rigorous building performance standards. Designed and built by Method Homes and the SEED Collaborative, the modular classroom prototype has been transported to a site in Seattle, WA, where it will be unveiled at the International Living Future unConference.The project was inspired by the SEED Collaborative’s previous work on the Bertschi School which was recently certified as the 4th Living Building in the world. The success of the 3,380-square-foot interactive school in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood inspired the team to try and bring the same to more students.
Seed Collaborative and Method Prefab have completed the prototype for a 900-square-foot classroom that they say will be the first modular building to purse the Living Building Challenge.
Method recently partnered with Cascadia Green Building Council and Built Green on a happy hour event at Urbanata to get ramped up for the Living Future unConference that will take place this Spring in downtown Seattle from May 15–17.Part of the ramp up was an introduction for some to the SEED (Sustainable Education Every Day) Classroom. Method recently announced their partnership as the exclusive modular builder for SEED Collaborative, an organization committed to bringing inspirational learning spaces to students around the world.SEED Classroom is a Living Building Challenge learning space that reduces cost of operation and maintenance through zero-water and zero-energy design strategies and 100-year construction. SEED also provides the tools for teachers to use the building as a living laboratory as the basis for applied STEM, art and social studies curriculum.The first SEED Classroom will be unveiled at the 2013 unConference before traveling to its final destination in Jasper where it will serve 3 local schools. Method is proud to be in partnership with the SEED Collaborative as the modular builder and looks forward to the dialogue and action sparked by the prototype.Check out the gallery of highlights from the happy hour at Urbanata, including the crowd listening to SEED Collaborative Executive Director Stacy Smedley giving an inspiring introduction to the project.The prototype is now under construction in the factory…more on the build and information on the Jasper SEED Classroom launch at the unConference coming soon.
Over the past two days, we have been in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood on the set of the new Taproot Theatre Annex. The set was a collaborative effort and a big success. Everything was smooth sailing getting the modules into the city, the cooperative weather (thanks Seattle) and our amazing set crew, allowing us to finish a day earlier than planned.Here are some highlights – from the modules rolling into town to a preview of the theatre’s new interior.
The first modular units arrived Monday for Taproot Theatre Co.'s $3.5 million expansion in the Greenwood arts district of Seattle. About 13 modules were scheduled to come yesterday and another eight will arrive today and Wednesday.
