We love the idea of innovation in art and design using natural materials. Often it seems innovation revolves around taking old ideas and reimagining them to create something that’s both new and old. It can also be really exciting to see people taking materials that are traditionally used for one thing and repurposing them for something else.
We’ve recently come across the work of a designer called Elora Hardy who leads a team of designers and builders at Ibuku who work with bamboo as a building material for housing and other structures. Ibuku is based in Bali and incorporates the skills of traditional Balinese craftspeople in the design and construction of their bamboo buildings.
These building are really exquisitely made and show how the unique qualities of a particular material can be considered and incorporated to produce wonderfully modern designs that synthesise aesthetic qualities and functionality. We’re really inspired by these ideas and will take a leaf (pun intended) from ibuku’s book in how we think about design and materials and how we use them.

You can see some of Elora Hardy’s designs and learn more about Ibuku and bamboo at:

www.ibuku.com

Check out her contribution to TED conferances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvKngNF78Dg

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Yarra Link’s Opening Exhibition and picnic/BBQ. Just as the directions said, I went through the Heyington train station car park, down a dirt track and following the Yarra’s grassy southern bank, I came across a group of people having a great time despite the winter day’s chill. I knew a few people there, mainly the administration staff, and actually ran into two people I know from non-native-revegetation circles who had heard about it through others and had decided to come along. There was music, a small fire helped to keep the cold away, and the Yarra Link Project’s first art instillation by the artist Carolyn Cardinet. Craft beer and some pretty interestingly flavored kombucha as well as delicious food was on offer from the refreshments tent too. There was also a composting toilet, which I will go into more detail about another time. I’ll be frank, dear reader; the day was not optimal for a picnic. But a Sunday afternoon could be worse spent than with friends at a small spot next to the Yarra River that feels miles away from the city. As the twilight came and much food, beer and kombucha had been enjoyed, we were all encouraged to plant a seedling in the planter boxes by the bank before we left. It would seem silly or even remiss to come to the Yarra Link Project Opening Exhibition and not plant anything. I planted grass. Did you know planting native grass helps mitigate the effects of drought and extreme weather? I didn’t until I was there, trowel in hand, next to the Yarra River.

All Photos provided by Alexis Desaulniers-Lea

One of our planter boxes.

Good times.

Quite a spread.

Magic hour.

Carolyn Cardinet, the first official artist to install work at the Yarra Link project has a new video out about her work with recycled plastics at the Yarra Community Youth Center. It’s exciting to see Melbourne artist’s tackle the subject of waste reduction and recycling.  We look foward to seeing Carolyn’s future work!

Pure Plastic Art from Dan Rozario on Vimeo.

The Yarra Link Project is having an Opening Exhibition and BBQ on the 10th May,

click here for more details.

All of us here at the Yarra Link Project have a real passion for cycling and all the kooky and useful ways that bicycles are able to improve your everyday life. Recently as a way to explore various issues such as transport, energy production, storage, and even toilet access we thought why not see how we can incorporate our lovely two wheeled friends into the solution? After some interesting and often enlightening conversations we thought that we’d share one of our most recent favorites, the DIY Bamboo bicycle trailer. Its growable, transportable, downloadable and compostable! We hope to incorporate this useful bicycle accessory for more than a few functions for the Yarra Link Project.  For anyone with additional information on creative ways to use their bicycles or get inspired by what they see here please let us know! We love all of it!

DIY Bamboo bicycle trailer by Carry Freedom

Download the free PDF guide here –> Bamboo Trailer

No self-respecting Tiki hut should go without one.