The Tonic/Hill “habitable wall.”
January 20, 2009 (RALEIGH, NC) — Tonic Design and Tonic Construction with NCSU College of Design professor David Hill have been selected as one of 12 finalists for GimmeShelter, an international design competition hosted by The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.
Located in Philadelphia, PA, the Schuylkill Center is a 350-acre nature preserve and one of the first urban environmental education centers in the country. The goal of the competition is to build awareness of the applied possibilities and meaning of sustainability and its impact on our lives and our connection to the natural world.
The Tonic/Hill design was selected for the “habitable wall” concept, which incorporates nature in planning. The angled walls allow native vines to grow; celebrating a native species, creating habitat for insects and birds, and absorbing rainwater. The dragonflies and butterflies local to the area inspire qualities of tranquility, prospect, and refuge. An exhibit of 12 finalists’ designs will take place in February at the AIA Philadelphia in Center City Philadelphia. From the 12 finalists, six designs will be selected and built during March-April of 2009.
Tonic Design + Tonic Construction has won several American Institute of Architect awards at the local, state, and regional levels and have been featured in Dwell, Residential Architect, and Custom Home magazines. For more information visit www.tonic-design.com.
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