nonu by jon taylor from usa

1. This is a real object. It has been built, lived in, and it works.
2. This is not a “homeless cart,” but rather a vehicle for anyone wishing to live in a free and mobile manner, sustaining themselves on the excesses of society.
3. 90% of the materials used in construction were locally salvaged (spent advertising, trash, shore debris, etc.) This can easily become 100%.
4. The methods of construction are straightforward and simple, able to be built and repaired by people with average technical ability. This version features a fold out design, which allows for an adaptable, protected living space, with storage for cans and scrap metal above, and bottles in the slide out bin below.
5. There is not one single design that can account for all local climates, terrains and specific needs of a user.
6. I am proposing a methodology that would start with the creation of a national/global organization, which would contact businesses, assess their waste products, and redirect usable assets to projects such as this. Founders of local chapters would be trained in basic design strategies and construction techniques, and they in turn would teach others. Labor would be provided by volunteers, individuals assigned to community service, design students looking for hands on experience, and the end user. Flexible design parameters allow for adaptation in response to available materials, and the type of lifestyle desired, while giving the builder opportunities for personal expression.
7. The title NONU, is multidimensional. On one hand it refers to ‘no new’ materials. It also refers to the concept of survival upon the excess of others as ‘nothing new’. Throughout the history of our planet, species have evolved in order to exploit rich niches of untapped resources. Finally, it means 'know' and 'knew'; we know how wastefulness damages the environment and our standard of living, and at one point, we as humans knew how to survive in harmony with the planet.