This really brings it all together, art, architecture, small independent business, low income housing, re-use*, and–get this–marital bliss. It just doesn’t get any better. I love wackos!

I especially liked this little romantic vignette:

Phoenix Commotion homes meet local building codes and Mr. Phillips frequently consults with professional engineers, electricians and plumbers to make sure his designs, layouts and workmanship are sound. Marsha Phillips, his wife of 40 years and a former high school art teacher, vets his plans for aesthetics.

I mean, how cool is it that she is so supportive of his wacked creations?! Must be one of the secret elements of their 40 years together!

*The NYT uses the term ‘recycle’ which is actually a misuse. This guy is re-using discarded items. Re-use is infinitely more energy & resource efficient than re-cycling, thus, what he is doing rises far & away above the groovey-green LEED-certified buildings which use–highly energy intensive–recycled products to achieve that overly vaunted certification.

Basically, recycled is green for the rich.

Re-use is green for the rest of us.