Hasta La Ideas

This writer is headed off to Norway this afternoon on a press trip to check out the country’s ongoing National Tourists Routes Project, an effort by the government to create “experiences” along their scenic driving routes by way of architecture and design (Peter Zumthor, Louise Bourgeois, and Snohetta have all been involved thus far). Assuming we don’t fall into a fjord or wear ourselves out jetting across the country, we’ll be checking in from the road next week, and likely posting once we get back about the trip (which we need to mention is being funded by the country’s Consulate General office in New York and the Innovation Norway organization). Have any tips on what not to miss while we’re there, drop us a line in the comments.

And just one final reminder before this writer heads out: our Rem Koolhaas: A Kind of Architect Giveaway ends tomorrow night. Get your entries in! We’ll announce a winner on Monday.

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Anyone who has ever lived in a college town knows that the end of the school year is a trash scavenger’s dream. When students move out of their dorms and apartments, they put on the curb and in large dumpsters anything they don’t wish to take with them to the next chapter of their lives. Anything that isn’t looted, is piled into trash trucks and taken to the city dump.

A lot of these trashed items are in good working order and could be used by someone else. However, after partying it up in celebration of the end of finals, the last thing anyone wants to do is find good homes for their unwanted things.

The Ohio State University has a program that not only helps students responsibly get rid of their clutter at the end of the semester, but it is also available for residents of the Columbus area to use. The program is called “Dump and Run” and The Columbus Dispatch says that the donated items are evaluated, priced, and then sold at the beginning of the semester in a huge yard sale.

For the past six years, dump volunteers have collected hand-me-downs and sold them at thrifty prices to students and bargain-hungry adults in the greater Columbus area. “It’s a great way to reduce waste in landfills, and it has a lot of appeal for students and Columbus residents,” said Podrasky, a junior majoring in environmental policy and management.

Sue Kelly, 54, and husband, Scott Dagenfield, 56, donated her late father’s wooden office desk to make room for a new recliner in her mother’s home.

Nearly 30 years old, the desk is in mint condition.

To encourage students to donate, dump organizers placed bins in each of the college’s residence halls May14. That collection runs until Friday.

Last year, students collected nearly 7 tons of items, said Rachel Gapa, program co-chairwoman.

Thanks to reader Mary for letting us know about this program. Hopefully spreading the word about it will help other college towns learn about this terrific clutter-recycling program.

Just under eight minutes of shot “Mortal Kombat” has been posted on YouTube. Now it reports that the film is, as many theorized, a test for a potential R-rated film reboot of the video game franchise. The short is directed by Kevin Tancharoen

After catching a lot of flak after speaking poorly of LEED certification and the greening of buildings in general, Frank Gehry is back in Chicago (at least in spirit), making something of a move toward redemption (or, rather, he already made the move three years ago, it’s just starting to take effect now). The Architect’s Newspaper reports that the city’s Inland Steel Building, which was purchased back in 2007 by a group that Gehry was involved with, has begun the process of restoring and upgrading the late-1950s building to LEED standards. At the forefront of the project is the mega (and local) firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, who actually designed the original. After spending the last few years preparing and drawing up plans, SOM is finally ready to start making the structure’s transition toward being more earth-friendly. So maybe it’s not the perfect mea culpa for Gehry, who probably isn’t interested in offering one to begin with, it’ll have to do for now. Here’s a bit about some of the upcoming changes:

…In an extreme version of the Seagram Building’s enforced ceiling condition at the perimeter, SOM developed a modular office system of movable floors, ceilings, and walls that can be adjusted to fit the needs of shifting populations.

The idea, which the firm calls “office hotel,” is that companies who take up residence here will not be looking to conduct their own interior fit-out, but will be happy to adopt the branding built into the architecture. The strategy also has a sustainability component, as every time someone new moves, there will be no waste created by interior demolition. The modular systems in place will simply be reconfigured for a new set of needs.

For further reading, more info is available on the building’s site.

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