Having previously popped up in Melbourne and Perth, Greenhouse will now occupy the Circular Quay foreshore at Sydney’s Campbells Cove as an initiative of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority.

A self-sustaining bar/café and function centre, Greenhouse is a vehicle for builders, designers and the public to see recycled materials and sustainable building practices in action.

The installation is made from broken-down shipping containers and packing crates. Bakker has also used magnesium oxide cladding for the first time, a completely non-toxic, fire-resistant product used mainly in China, Thailand and the Middle East.

“It’s something I’m really excited about,” Bakker says.

“I’ve been wanting to use it for almost 5 years. It’s not available in Australia as it’s not certified, but it’s a completely recyclable product. It has 1% of the carbon footprint of cement sheet, and at the end you just crush it and it can be made into a sheet again. It’s an amazing material – it’s crazy that we don’t use it.”

Inside, the furniture, light fittings, glasses and even the staff uniforms are made from recyclable and recycled materials.

To avoid the wastage that comes with using bottles, all wine and beer on-premises is kegged, as is carbonated water for housemade tonic water and soda.

Milk is supplied direct from the farm in 20-litre buckets, to be made into yoghurt and cheese on-site.

Herbs and vegetables will be grown on the Greenhouse’s rooftop garden, and a worm farm will compost food scraps.

The building will be powered by a Bio-Pro generator converting the restaurant’s cooking oil into diesel. 

Bakker hopes the project will resonate with all who experience it.

“In 5 years’ time I want to walk into a building that someone’s designed that’s 10 times better than this,” he says.

“I hope it inspires people to think creatively about the problems we have.”

Greenhouse by Joost
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