How would you survive if the world became completely flooded? That's pretty much the question that artist Mary Mattingly and crew seek to shed some like upon and answer with WetLand, a six-week interactive art installation in front of the Independence Seaport Museum at Penn's Landing. The shanty-yacht is essentially a flotilla doubling as a rowhome with sustainable container gardens and potable water. As per their website, Wetland is "a floating sculpture," designed to resemble a "partially submerged building, integrating nature with urban space." Honestly, we'd live in it right now. So, what's on this thing anyway and where can we sign up?
Hidden City has the details of the recalimed houseboat:
The row house motif was built around a 42 foot 1971 Rockwell Whitcraft houseboat and features a number of sustainable amenities. Along with a library, three bedrooms and a substantial commons area, the water habitat also has solar panels, a floating edible garden, a beehive and chickens. The potable water system, devised to capture and purify rain, was designed by the students of The Workshop School in West Philly. The façade, an amalgam of reclaimed wood and windows, was donated by The Resource Exchange and RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residency). The free exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily until September 21st. There will be workshops, tours, performances and more. For more amazing pictures, including kittens, visit their website here.
· WetLand [Official]
· WetLand Explores An Inconvenient Future [Hidden City]