bird condominium
Bird Condominium was designed and fabricated for an auction of bird houses to benefit Chicago House’s efforts of providing housing and support to LGBT and other communities living with HIV/AIDS.
Bird Condominium was a further exploration of my fascination with the relationship between wood and aluminum.
I researched types of birds and their requirements. The hole dimensions and multiple living units are specific to birds of a certain size that live peacefully in close proximity to each other. A 1.25” diameter entrance would accommodate chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, and wrens all bird species that frequent the backyards of Chicago and Illinois human residents.
Like many urban dwellers, I live in a condominium. I thought a bird house in Chicago might be re-imagined as a bird condominium in Chicago.
The aluminum extrusions and shelf bracket/bird perches were donated by the Rakks Company. I wanted to incorporate the idea of adjustability. Bird perches and condominium units can either be relocated along the extrusions length or removed/added/subtracted to over time.
The white oak was given three coats of a non-petroleum based exterior grade tung oil. The condominium "doors" are hinged to allow for old nest clean-outs.
The anodized aluminum "roofs" are lifted up on aluminum stand-offs to allow for air movement through the nest area. This was my attempt at providing the birds with a passive cooling system. I knew going in that most if not all bird nests would receive a LEED platinum rating, but I wasn't so sure about most bird houses.
Bird Condominium was a further exploration of my fascination with the relationship between wood and aluminum.
I researched types of birds and their requirements. The hole dimensions and multiple living units are specific to birds of a certain size that live peacefully in close proximity to each other. A 1.25” diameter entrance would accommodate chickadees, nuthatches, warblers, and wrens all bird species that frequent the backyards of Chicago and Illinois human residents.
Like many urban dwellers, I live in a condominium. I thought a bird house in Chicago might be re-imagined as a bird condominium in Chicago.
The aluminum extrusions and shelf bracket/bird perches were donated by the Rakks Company. I wanted to incorporate the idea of adjustability. Bird perches and condominium units can either be relocated along the extrusions length or removed/added/subtracted to over time.
The white oak was given three coats of a non-petroleum based exterior grade tung oil. The condominium "doors" are hinged to allow for old nest clean-outs.
The anodized aluminum "roofs" are lifted up on aluminum stand-offs to allow for air movement through the nest area. This was my attempt at providing the birds with a passive cooling system. I knew going in that most if not all bird nests would receive a LEED platinum rating, but I wasn't so sure about most bird houses.