Cafe Greenhouse: the Future of Sustainable Eating Out
Unique Design
The 'Greenhouse Cafe' concept is a pop up design installation and completely waste free cafe that showcases sustainable living in it's purest form. Designed with Echo friendly principles it demonstrates that sustainable eating out is possible in an urban environment and can be done by choosing ethical, organic and sustainable materials.
The cafe a fresh innovative project is built using only recycled materials; everything from the walls to the lights, the straw bales used for insulation, from the tables and chairs to the bowls and plates that people eat from are made from recycled materials. And the interesting thing here is that all waste is recycled as well; using a worm farm for discarded scraps; all water is collected from tanks attached to the building; herbs and vegetables that supply the menu are grown on the roof top of the building; and a generator is used that reuses cooking oil to create their own source of energy.
Giving diners the opportunity to be more aware of the choices that food can make on the environment, all produce used on the menu is organically grown and sourced seasonally and wholefoods are used to make menu staples like bread, pastries, pizza, butter and yoghurt.
The Concept
Designed by artist Joost Baker originally to showcase the idea that using natural,ethical and sustainable materials is better for the environment the first pop up cafe was assembled in Melbourne's Federation Square to highlight this possibility to the public. Following this the first permanent cafe in Perth was built and still remains and is a popular destination for tourists and the city's environmentally conscious.
in 2011 funded by the New South Wales government in conjunction with the Sydney Foreshore Authority's commitment to Green the city's Foreshore Joost was invited to showcase the concept in Sydney in the idyllic Darling Harbor / Rocks precinct. Purposely built to easily dismantle, the cafe was experimentally erected at Cambell's Cove between the spectacular Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera house in just two weeks and was open to the public for approximately eight weeks serving approximately 1000 diners per day. Attracting tens of thousands of visitors and world wide media coverage the cafe was deemed a success to many and highlighted the state of N.S.W as a leader in sustainable design.
And so the Greenhouse concept began as an idea to create a sustainable approach to eating out which doesn't harm the environment and to share that with people to help them understand how fresh food and natural produce straight from the garden to the plate can be grown and utilized in a dining out experience and that the design and construction of a building can be completely safe and useful for the environment.
Some of the Greenhouses more Standout Concepts
The Building
- Three prefabricated shipping containers are the transportable elements of the building
- Designed to be easily erected and transported.
- The structure is not dependent on the city's water and power supplies as it uses it's own generator.
- All aspects of the design process was considered carefully first for it's practicality and the use of recycled materials then for it's ascetics and affordability.
The Food
- All food and wine comes in returnable crates and containers
- Fresh herbs and vegetables are grown on the buildings rooftop
- All the cafe's fresh ingredients are seasonal and are sourced locally
- Wheat for bread and Pizza's is ground on site
- They make their own tonic water
The Look
Set in a trendy and fun environment, the cafe is distinct with hundreds of terracotta pots filled with wild strawberries lining the exterior of the walls adding to the overall green aesthetics. The vibe of the interior is both relaxed and inspiring with beeswax candles for lighting, rustic recycled comfortable tables and chairs and hand painted murals and artwork on the walls. The toilets are hand basin and toilet bowl combined to save on water and recycled unbleached paper towel is used.
The cafe has since been dismantled and packed up and transported on a world tour to showcase it's viability.
With it's unique design Cafe Greenhouse is sure to impress environmentalists world wide in their quest for a sustainable future.
Greenhouse
100 St. Georges Terrace
Perth WA 6000
Related Websites
Greenhouse by Joost Sydney Feb 2011
Joost Bakker’s Website
