mkLotus opens

By Daniel Gregory, Sunset senior editor, home

The Mayor's view has changed...

Dominating the vista of Civic Center Plaza from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's balcony is Michelle Kaufmann's mkLotus, the greenest prefab around. Sponsored by Sunset and West Coast Green building expo, the contemporary, solar-powered, green-roofed, less than 700 square-foot house  is all set to welcome the Mayor and thousands of other WCG attendees to the City's version of the Governor's Puffing Tent (for green tea, not cigars, of course—this is San Francisco!). Here's a taste of what you can see at the event, Sept. 20-22:

Beaux Arts to Bauhaus in 50 feet—Make that 50 feats, when you consider that this house was constructed in the Xtremehomes factory in Oroville, then driven to the site and set into place between 1 and 5 a.m. last Sunday, then fully landscaped with more than $75,000 worth of donated and loaned plants and trees, raised beds, decking, koi pond and wrap-around decking, and completely furnished and decorated with similarly valued furnishings and artwork (all on loan) in two round-the-clock days.

At least 50 people worked on the house and now it's open and full of visitors. Remember Virgil's famous metaphor of the beehive in The Aeneid? Well, update it with a sleek modern design instead of a battlefield and there you have it: All action figures, all the time. Arthur Brown's big beautiful baroque dome is looking down at all the activity and beaming.

Outside and in. A zig-zag promenade leads through drought-tolerant plants and grasses to an ngawa-like entry deck (a Japanese form of slim deck) made of composite wood. A rainwater cachement system is used for irrigation and there's even a gray water system that recirculates water collected from sinks and shower to the toilet. The entire landscape and bioswale roof was designed by Nick Thayer of Late Afternoon Garden Design.

Setting the stage for what lies within is a rectangular lotus pool with a centerpiece made of 500 recycled Grey Goose vodka bottle bottoms. (How's that for a little liquid serenity—it brings to mind Herb Caen's affection for what he called "vitamin v.")

Open the front door in the cement board and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood-sheathed wall and to the left is the main living space containing kitchen and dining area; to the right are the bathroom and the bedroom. All three rooms open to decks. Windows and doors use double pane, low-e glass. A Green "living roof" is the icing on the gateau—I mean chateau.

A Gallery of Green. All furnishings, fixtures, and finishes are as environmentally friendly as possible.

You'll see:

FSC-certified wood cabinetry and flooring

Concrete counters using recycled fly ash and rice hulls

Bathroom sink made of recycled pulverized toilet porcelain

Recycled glass tiles in the shower

The latest low-flow plumbing fixtures (including a dual flush toilet)

Walls covered with no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint

Energy Star appliances

Furnishings and artwork from a wide variety of green-oriented manufacturers, artists and websites. For example the sofa bed in the living room is made of woven Kraft paper and the living room rug is 12% wool and 88% paper.

In short, there's a whole lot of green going on. Like an architectural version of compressed files on a zip disk, mkLotus expands horizons the moment you enter. It remains in place until the end of West Coast Green—this Saturday.  And then, like San Francisco's famous fog, it moves on.

Green delicious kitchen: pale green no-VOC wall color from Yolo Colorhouse; concrete counter containing recycled rice hulls by Concrete Works; wall art by Lisa Bartleson;  bamboo-themed elements from Dandelion; cork bowl from Branch.

Weaving eco-friendly materials together: curved chair made of sea grass from McGuire ; leather and wood chair from Palecek; wool and paper rug from Merida; vase from Dandelion; bamboo coffee table by Alex Suvajac.

Shower power: The walls are covered in recycled glass from Bedrock Industries.

Dream of green: sustainably harvested cherry bed from Room & Board; 100% wool bedspread from Fold Bedding; pillows from Branch. (That's Sunset photographer Tom Story, shooting for an upcoming issue.)

Comments

[Nancy Grayson - Interior Designer 208-861-2407]

Interior Designer - Nancy Grayson:
A West Coast Green attendee and set up volunteer was quite delighted to design for the Lotus House all the interior flower arrangments. Nancy matched flowers with plant cuttings from the exterior landscape for a unique look.

[Turning Leaf Custom Construction]

I happen to live in Truckee CA, and visited the idea house in Truckee, (Grey's Crossing) I was a little confused when they keep mentioning that the house is outside Truckee???? No it is not. It is outside the downtown area, but not outside Truckee. Also the ladies/gentelmen who where in the house hosting the open house did not seem to understand that this is not a green built home. Thank you Bobbie Marr for starting a new trend, finally, a conciousness about green. But, none the less, this home is not a geen build. There are green implimentations, grey water, solar power, ect. Reclaimation of the beems means that there is waste. A dumpster for what was cut and not used, of the reclaimed wood. I happen to own a green building company. Everything is pre-engineered & in panels to keep plumb.(Not modular) There is no waste. This is a green build. If you have any questions about htis please let me know. 530.550.1374 Cynthia Morgan owner Turning Leaf Custom Construction You see We are looking at a greener future!