Joost Bakker's Greenhouse in Sydney - just opened last Friday!

Joost's signature vertical garden covers the exterior of the structure

Re-purposed design details - walls in the bathrooms made from salvaged timber packing boxes, lights made from simple jam jars, beer glasses and candle holders made from discarded Little Creatures bottles, stunning herringbone floor created from rubber salvaged from an industrial conveyor belt!

Dear JOOST BAKKER,

How do you do it?

How is it that on December 23rd, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority offered you, out of the blue, this amazing location at Circular Quay for one of your world-famous Greenhouse temporary restaurants, and less than 2 months later it is HERE for us all to admire?

How is it that local council seem to turn around approval on all your crazy ideas in a timeframe most architects could not even imagine in their wildest dreams?

How is it that you manage to inspire so many brilliant and super high profile local creative people to be involved (David Bromley, David Band, Spacecraft, Queen B Candles, Top chefs Jason Chan and Matt Stone, to name only a few) - with little or no lead time at all?

How is it that you rope in support from so many businesses and project sponsors (Framecad, Little Creatures, Miele and many more) without a corporate logo to be seen?

How is it that you manage to get by on about 2 hrs sleep each night, without a wink of grumpiness, red-eye or evidence of energy depletion?

How is it that you inspired this design blogger to travel to Sydney twice in the past month just to see what you're up to?

I've heard from reliable sources that you have Jedi Powers.  I believe it.  You're AMAZING.

From Lucy ;)

Postscript - I visited Mr Bakker's AMAZING new Greenhouse which opened in Sydney last week and I'm telling you, it must be seen to be believed.  If you are anywhere near Sydney in the next 6 weeks (and trust me, Melbourne is close enough to warrant a visit!), you really MUST go!  Much more info here and here.  I took MANY more photos which you can view in  the photo gallery here - please pop over and check them out to get a sense of the immense scale of this inspiring project!

The Greenhouse is essentially a temporary restaurant and bar which promotes sustainable construction techniques and operational processes... the entire building is created using re-cycled and re-cyclable materials, and runs so efficiently it creates no waste.  ALL food scraps are composted on site, herbs and salad vegies are grown on the roof, all produce is supplied in re-usable containers (no disposable plastic here!) and all furniture, tableware and design details are created from re-purposed materials which would otherwise have been landfill.  The Greenhouse Sydney will operate for just 8 WEEKS before upping sticks and commencing a WORLD TOUR!  Get in while you can, people!

AND, last but not least, The Design Files first ever SHORT FILM documenting this incredible project is coming very soon...  stay tuned!

Greenhouse by Joost
Campbells Cove, The Rocks
Sydney

(ie the same side at the MCA, just at the end of the Quay)

Open Monday noon - midnight, Sunday 10.00am - midnight, and every other day from 7.30am - midnight.

Joost on site, Australia Day - on zero sleep after working through the night.

Joost insulates the structure with his genius hay bale / steel system - Jan 26th

Scrambling to finish on opening day! Feb 9th.  Chairs made from re-cycled irrigation pipes and salvaged leather off-cuts.

David Bromley's artwork covers the facade - painted in one night and one day (Jan 25th and 26th)

Bromley faces his fears in the Cherry Picker!

Bromley a little happier on solid ground! Jan 26th.

The unique Framecad system means all the steel for the structure is formed to spec on site using a machine which spits out the exact shape and length of steel required - ie no offcuts, no waste, and minimum carbon footprint.

Oh hello!  Even on a building site, there is no escaping the internet!  Jan 26th.

MANY MORE PICS OVER HERE!