Looking Back to Shape the Future
If you are familiar with the historic landmarks of Edmonton, you may have heard – or even seen for yourself – that demolition of the historic Ritchie School in South Edmonton has begun.
First welcoming students in 1913, the three-story brick school was constructed with local, long lasting materials. Sadly, due to being built on a slough the school has been plagued with infrastructure issues.
Most of the school was constructed of brick, which is actually one of the first sustainable building materials. Brick has been used for 10,000 years, and as demonstrated by the 107-year-old school they remain structurally sound and resist signs of aging which means they’re sure to survive multiple generations. Bricks can be recycled, re-used and re-purposed indefinitely, so there is essentially no waste compared to many other modern-day building materials. In fact, many bricks contain some industrial by-products and recycled materials!
When hearing about sustainable design, it often comes across as something of a privilege, that requires the latest ‘eco’ gadget or space-age material that is completely unaffordable for the average person. However, at its heart, sustainability, green building, eco design – whatever you choose to call it – it isn’t meant to be some new, shiny, exclusive product.
Take a look at our last blog about Sustainability in Design for some ideas on how you can incorporate sustainability into your own projects and read on to learn what we do here at Heart.
We believe that an effective way to incorporate sustainability into a project is by simply creating a timeless design through a variety of practices. Some practices that we follow here at Heart Kitchen & Bath include:
→ Supporting environmentally conscious companies: between our two major cabinet suppliers we source cabinets that are very low in harmful VOC’s, some styles are composed of recycled fibers, their manufacturing plants are incredibly modern and efficient - one of our suppliers even uses 100% of their wood by-product to heat their manufacturing plant!
→ Efficient use of space in our designs: we always try to ensure every single inch of space has a purpose, or multiple purposes. Waste not!
→ Honoring the era of your home: our designs are meant to complement the existing architecture of your home, whether that’s a historic craftsman in South Edmonton, or a contemporary condo in the River Valley.
→ Designing for the future: not only selecting materials that will stand the test of time but creating a design that will outlive the currents trends.
School board architect George E. Turner likely considered similar practices which established Ritchie School as such a long-standing piece of Edmonton’s history.
Whether it’s a simple bathroom update or a major contemporary kitchen renovation, at Heart we always try to create an addition to your home that can be enjoyed for generations, like Ritchie School has been. While the demolition of historic buildings in our city is often bittersweet it also provides opportunities to create something just as timeless in its place, a building that is even more integral to the community that brings new families and neighbors, or perhaps something nobody has ever seen before.