Discover Top Posts Tagged with #hempitecture

Ahead of the curve and guided by passion; Hempitecture shoots for the goal in the last leg of its Kickstarter campaign

May 22, 2014 Interview with Matthew Mead, Founder/CEO of Hempitecture:

AM: Let me begin by saying kudos to the Hempitecture team. Your Kickstarter campaign has really been kicking. As of today, fundraising has reached $15,969 of its $25,000 goal through 100+ supporters; it has received over 1,000 Facebook ‘shares’, while publications like Idaho’s The Weekly Sun, Cannabis Now Magazine, and Earth911 feature articles on the crew’s efforts to dig up hemp’s grave. Aggregates and organizations nationwide are breeding popular support for Hempitecture’s first project with the long-withheld crop. As a nectar for economic and agricultural infrastructure, federal regulations have been forbidding US citizens from enjoying its fruits since the 30s. Now, hempsters everywhere are joining the cause, ‘sharing’ its sweetness with the rest of the online colonies- Twitter and Tumblr and filling #hashtags (and hemp blogsJ) with news on groups like Hempitecture and its use of this insulating material. The age-old building methods that were just theories during your time at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY have sang of hemp’s praises for centuries, and as of 2013, Hempitecture re-joins the symphony. Did you expect such a loud reverberation? What rang true to you in researching and reintroducing these cross-cultural building practices at HWS? Hemp History Week begins June 2-8 throughout colleges and counties nationwide. How is Hempitecture tuning in and taking part in festivities this summer?

MM: Launching this idea on the east coast, I never thought I would have the recognition and success we have today. It all started as a research project and even some professors were unsure of the legitimacy of my studies. I knew however that hemp building presented an incredible opportunity to utilize earth’s most rapidly renewable resource as a sustainable housing solution. During my time conducting the initial research phase of what came to be Hempitecture, I was selected as a finalist in 4 prestigious business contests. In every contest, I was inevitably asked a short sighted or tongue-and-cheek question. “If my house burns down will my neighborhood get high?” “You said your material is biodegradable, does that mean when it rains my house will fall apart?”

Many of the venture capitalists and judges on the panels saw hemp as counterculture, the subject of hippies and Woodstock. As I result, I missed out on the opportunity of over $250,000 in grant money. I knew that if I was to get traction I had to bring the idea westward. It wasn’t long after then that I was contacted by Idaho BaseCamp with interest to have our first project at their property. Since then we have been living and working in Sun Valley, Idaho with a team of accomplished professionals that all share a common vision and goal.

The team is supporting Hemp History Week via their basecamp residence this year; Hempitecture will be devoting all of its resource to the Kickstarter campaign, Hopefully just in time to breathe a little easier and celebrate the last few days of the 2014 educational festivities, knowing that the project will be funded and able to assist the public in doing the same.

AM: Chief Designer Tyler Mauri completes Hempitecture’s executive duo, providing the start-up with the architectural passion and expertise essential to its development. While researching various building methods at HWS, what were your findings on how far-dated has hemp left its impression in architecture? In a photo located on the site, the administrative team is holding a banner that reads, “George Grew Hemp”. Was this a major source of inspiration for dusting off the fossilized earth-building strategies that have ‘petrified’ the US for over 100 years?

MM: The uses of hemp as a building material transcend a great swath of time, but it was really the developments in Europe that made me fascinated with hemp building. There was so much to learn from these recent advancements in hempcrete across the pond, and it seemed absurd to me that hemp building is practiced so minimally here in the United States. Of course this has to do with hemp’s illicit nature in the United States, but I felt that someone needed to stand up for this strategy in an unprecedented way. Hemp is in our history, the declaration of independence was written on hemp paper, Betsy Ross’s first American flag was made from hemp fiber, even Henry Ford envisioned his first Model T to have hemp composite panels and work on a variety of hemp biodiesel.

We want to restore hemp in America and we want to do it through thoughtful design and progressive advocacy. Tyler came onto the Hempitecture team to support the design element of our startup. As a graduate of Hobart College majoring in architecture, Tyler will be attending UVA Masters of Architecture in fall of 2015 to ultimately become our key design asset.

AM: Your advisory team includes a list of earth-saving professionals including Dale Bates, Founder of the Sun Valley architecture firm Living Architecture, Jeffrey Blankenship and Kirin Makker, Ph.D Professors in Architectural Studies at HWS, and IBC’s Matthew Geshater among others who are helping in your efforts to awaken the sleeping giant. Hempitecture is supported by an impeccably durable foundation. Were you always this encouraged to pursue such ‘controversial’ building alternatives? As you continue to take part in architectural academia through the UVA Master’s program, what other bold and brilliant acts can we expect to see after solidifying hempcrete as a platform for US infrastructure at IBC?

MM: The encouragement became emboldened by the polarizing viewpoints I encountered when discussing or advocating for hemp-based building materials. In less than a year from my first initial presentations, over 14 states have passed pro-hemp legislation. At the time, I concluded each presentation stating “I am at the ground floor of a movement that is picking up speed.” At that time zero states had legalized hemp, so I guess you could say we were a bit ahead of the curve.

Tyler will ultimately attend UVA to really bring the skills needed to create the first hemp-based design firm in the United States. This project will serve as a foundational element of our future development, however our sight is set further than just individual projects. We wish to innovate hemp based building materials for the US market, making them more widely available.

AM: Hempitecture’s roots may have sprouted in Geneva, NY, but has expanded to source a greater collaboration of amazingly dedicated individuals. People like JD Leadman, Founder of The Hemp Bottle and Ira Goldschmidt of Goldschmidt Engineering Solutions have jumped on board and now play a huge hand in Hempitecture’s progression, its formation and purpose but also excel throughout their chosen fields. On Amy Forbes’ “downtime” she assists your advisory team, but continues to develop successful business programs through her positions as Associate Director of the Centennial Center for Leadership. Hempitecture is surrounded by a team of devotees who commit their time and efforts to helping in the reconstruction of a more habitable matrix for the US. Given the studio’s success at IBC, are you likely to continue working together as hemp rights crusaders?

MM: I think that hemp advocacy has become an integral part of my life, and now it is supported by this team that you have mentioned. We always have people to bounce ideas off of to further our direction. Interestingly, only one member of our advisory team has experience with hemp, being JD Leadam of the Hemp Bottle. JD through and through is an entrepreneur and he has played an integral role in our development.

AM: In 10 days, Hempitecture’s Kickstarter campaign will close along with the window of opportunity to play a critical role in IBC’s newest establishment. As listed on the site, each contribution is rewarded with special perks like a handwritten hemp note, water bottles, screen prints and T-shirts. The campaign also offers various sponsorship roles like the “Craftsman” donation valued at $250 through the $5,000 prize-holder position of “Pioneer”. (Hempsters lucky in fulfilling this level of the campaign’s financial reservoir will be guests to the camp, learning the skills to constructing the studio, where their names will be found inscribed on an honorary plaque. Hempitecture further extends its appreciation with a 4 piece, 20 color screen print and several blueprints of the finalized project.) For those who are unable to financially support the cause, will Hempitecture open its doors to other opportunities like volunteer efforts? Should we anticipate the first ever hemp-based summer camp hosted by Hempitecture and IBC? What other activities are expected to emerge after the building’s construction?

MM: There will be opportunities for people to come to Idaho BaseCamp and learn hemp building. We are going to host community driven workshops to educate others on hemp building while also teaching them valuable skills. There is plenty of land to camp on at Idaho BaseCamp, so you bet that this will be a Hemp Building camp! Our goal is to engage as many people as possible.

Following the construction of this building, it will be used for yoga classes, motivational speakers, meditation sessions, as well as artistic workshops & outdoors preparedness classes. The building is designed so that its uses can be pretty limitless.

AM: This method of transparent patronage ensures to all supporters lining their wallets with hemp, an immersive way to take part in Hempitecture’s purpose, which “transcends just hemp building. It is about restoring the American Farm Industry, strengthening the economy, and lowering the impact of the built environment. It's about looking to our past for the answers to our future. It is about a healthier, cleaner planet.”The buzz of the century is now surrounding Hempitecture’s design and only just beginning to breach the confines of IBC. If 10,000 hempsters were to donate $1 each by tomorrow, the project would reach its goal, and then some, but must Americans be ‘converted’ before taking a dive into the holy waters of hemp this summer? Just as this endeavor has expanded from a single theory, its infamous name has also sent investors swimming in opposition of the global current. The completion of the hemp building at IBC would ease the US infrastructure through a pivotal transition of sustainable living and help to send these age-old misperceptions afloat, but changes aren’t always “easy” to make. How is Hempitecture maintaining its buoyancy and ability to carry through with the thrilling yet difficult task of backing this initial project?

MM: There is always some resistance to ideas that people are unfamiliar with. This project has educated a lot of our friends and family members, all people who may possibly not understood the vision immediately. The times are changing though. Hemp is making headlines every day and it is becoming a national subject, no longer a niche or fringe subject. This has encouraged our fundraising efforts at IBC.

Building in balance with nature and being in touch with the environment is in part key to your outward activities and thoughts on a daily basis. The great thing about working in a place like Sun Valley is that it is filled with spectacular nature and incredible outdoors activities. You really feel that connection to the environment that you might not feel in say, an urban setting. We’ve really taken advantage of all this so as to ground ourselves in our project. We go to work each day with a clear head, ready and excited to make a difference with this building project.

AM: By reaching out to the communities that surround the basecamp’s intention and purpose, there are many whose ‘rewards’ for contributing might exceed those listed on the site. Health and wellness professionals, yoga instructors, studio owners, and musicians and artist would be provided with a public space to further ‘texturize’ their craft and offer clientele a more immersive experience. Also, in helping to free this plant from suffocating government regulations, we are washing red-tape bureaucracy from its roots. Are those backing Hempitecture’s efforts welcomed to take part in the building’s release? I imagine it will be more difficult to glide through a hemp-based ceremonial ribbon than a poly fiber one. J Is the team reaching out to pre-existing hemp trades here in the US to adorn the site with hemp textiles?

MM: This building is a public use building. It’s for the community. We cannot wait to unveil this building in a grand yet balanced way in harmony with the site and our intentions. We’ve already conducted a Vedic ritual on site to harmonize our intentions with the energy of the site. Each process will have a ceremonial aspect that includes esoteric design elements. We’re still really focused on the early stages of the project, so we haven’t quite gotten to thinking about ribbon cutting ceremonies, but you can bet we’ll be using a hemp ribbon of sorts!

AM: Given the recent approval of the FARM Bill, college students nationwide are now being allowed a means to research the crop hands-on in an academic setting. This recent administrative action will hatch a new generation of hemp innovators into the global community. How has Hempitecture been welcomed by into the age-old industry by its neighbors who also participate in alternative living? And how do you encourage students to branch out into the newly grazed turf of cannabis research? Fields of study like architecture/sculpture art, genealogy, agriculture, renewable energy, and fashion are woven into the plant’s designed purposes. Are those interested in pursuing hemp academically likely to weave a fulfilling and successful purpose in years to come?

MM: That’s a really great question, and I wish I could answer it better. As a college graduate, I do not have access to those resources made newly available. I think it is a great opportunity for undergraduate students to chart the course of hemp in the United States. Everything that we have done, we have kind of had to force our way through. We haven’t had any research organizations or universities reach out to us, but I hope to soon utilize the allotments of the new FARM bill to our benefit.

I’d encourage anyone who is interested in hemp to consider their passions. For me, I came into hemp through architecture, but there are 25,000 uses for hemp. Find what you like, and see how hemp fits in to that. You may be surprised to see all the potential uses of hemp and how it can fit into your passion!

AM: The DEA’s recent performance of intrusive authority in Kentucky is a demonstration of the federal government relapsing on its control of agriculture and commerce in the US. Although students are now permitted to study the plant and farmers allowed its cultivation in select states, campuses and co-ops are being suspended in pursuance of a viable seed. Will this charad effect Hempitecture’s procedures of receiving essential hemp-based material for IBC? It’s an imperative time to resurrect hemp, and Kentucky veterans agree. Federal bodies have shown support in the past through permitting the crop during war-time efforts in Vietnam, encouraging troops and farmers to ‘join the cause’, troops who now stand before our current US government with pleas to demand its cultivation. What measures should these respected forces take in reclaiming their well-deserved rights to grow hemp?

MM: We don’t anticipate any difficulties in importing our hemp because it will not contain viable hemp seed. The United States is the only industrialized nation on earth that bans the cultivation of industrial hemp, yet we’re the world’s largest consumers and importers. What happened in Kentucky is because it was hemp seed, not the fiber. It is a very unfortunate situation when a beauracratic agency like the DEA steps in the way of something that is now federally allowed by the farm bill and state legislation, but it has also brought a lot of positive mainstream media attention. Hemp is making a comeback in an unimaginable way and at breakneck speed.

It is also great to see that there are organizations like the Growing Warriors who are promoting hemp after their years of service and combat. Fortunately, many people are behind organizations as such as well as institutions approved for hemp research. The agricultural commissioner of Kentucky James Comer has taken the DEA and Justice Department to court over the seizure. These are some of the most powerful actions, but everyone has their own civil duty to reach out to representatives, congressmen, and politicians alike to let them know how they stand on industrial hemp. Each person can make a difference.

Thank you for participating, and congratulations on the work you have done to make just that, a difference. Since there exists so much of this in the world, shouldn't we come together to do the same? Several concepts ring true to me through learning of Matthew's work with Hempitecture and on our common predicament as a whole: the fabric of nature, motivation, and maturity. All archetypes depicting an image of how our global culture relates to change and how devoutly we respect life.

Hempitecture is not simply tackling the innovative yet daring challenge of building with hemp as a sustainable material at IBC, but also offering a station for the public to reboot on life’s beauty and principles. Often times, we are burdened with the feeling of being a passenger to life, swimming and trekking alongside of it, rather than being fully involved.

Our relationship with nature, to motivation, to maturity is as adaptable as any form of life. Banishing this crop's use has not ceased its relationship to our nature, our motivation, or maturity, yet we still find ourselves missing in the US. Like the mending and maintenance of a plot of land, a friendship, a family, understanding these implications is essential to the growth and health of our society. It strengthens and nourishes, providing prosperity and security much like the kind this plant is capable of presenting.

Learning to appreciate these human characteristics and returning to our core values is an avenue that has no distance, no measurement. It allows us to approach life with zest and vitality; steering the human spirit into new experiences and opportunities and away from the idea that Earth, its resources and gifts are eternal, and so is our time here. That our actions, decisions, and priorities on our planet only emanate from a history we can’t cope, therefore we are unresponsible. Yet those actions are returned to us, and they extend to reach humanity as a whole and its future. It is not simply the awareness of where we are as a whole, but the will to better our circumstances together that can mend the gap between what we do and what we dream, what we know and what we speak, how we look and how we perceive and the beauty we choose to create through endeavors like these.

Hempitecture's team’s and the founder's main priorities have been led by these elements: passion, appreciation, and the satisfaction of collaborating with others to deliver hemp's message and materialize their dream of a healthier way of living for the US. A little education can go a long way, and at a time when its emphasis is so focused on devoting our motivations to monetary success, we must take learning into our own hands.

Matthew’s Kickstarter start-up campaign instantly won my attention, but had he been granted the well-deserved funds initially, the battle for financial backing could be spent constructing several hemp stations for the American public.

Our South American neighbors are depositing millions in Brazil’s infrastructure as we enter into 2014 World Cup games, with an attempt to excel its stumped economy and seize hold of the financial opportunities that come along with the popular and long-anticipated event. The buzz of the games are also being transmitted globally as players begin entering practice fields, warming up for the June 12th start date; the exciting roars of fans will fill its newly constructed stadiums, and regardless of this year’s victor, Brazil will have confronted the honorary challenge of hosting the Cup during an unstable time for its country and population .

Although many in Brazil are banking on a profound monetary gain, it is predicted to render more of a slight ‘kick start’ than a propulsion into better economic health. While we approach the games this year in support of our team and our global neighbors, let's warm up our hearts to neighboring hemp states as they take on the grueling task of amending hemp law, let’s start with a clear focus on our priorities by participating in start-up projects like these and other DIYs and assist in the return of hemp health to our own backyard through investing in the epic infrastructural changes that will support our youth and the global community. Help in continuing Hempitecture’s efforts by reading the statements below and pledging $1 or more to their campaign and make a difference today.

#hempheals #Hempitecture #kickstarter #makeadifference #educate