http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/06/13/2009-06-13_artists_turn_barge_into_riverbound_biodome_dubbed_waterpod.html
Artists turn barge into river-bound biodome dubbed 'Waterpod'

The Water Pod is a floating barge being built at the Brooklyn Navy Yards.
It's New York's very own Biodome.
A group of local artists has transformed a dilapidated barge into a futuristic, self-sustaining ecotopia, where they'll live for four months without help from the outside world.
While living onboard the "Waterpod," the group of four will drink only what they can purify from the river or salvage from rain, use power generated by solar panels and eat only what they can grow or gather before they set sail.
The artists will launch Saturday from the Brooklyn Navy Yard and should arrive at South Street Seaport in the afternoon.
For the next several months, the barge will stop at major docks in all five boroughs, where the artists will host live performances, workshops and opportunities to engage with the Waterpod's features.
"The fact that Waterpod is a mobile structure, that it's floating on water, makes it more independent," said Waterpod's founder, Mary Mattingly. "You're not dependent on a company for power or a store for food, and you can kind of make your own reality."
A series of domes and shelters were built on the barge to house its various environments.
The first shelter contains four bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom; the second will include a space for water recycling and alternative power sources.
The third is dedicated to community and artistic workshops, and the fourth houses the gardens that provide food for the crew and nesting space for four chickens.
Derek Hunter, the artist doing most of the barge's construction, says there's still a lot of work to do, but he's ready to set sail.
"It is art, but it's also a showcase for do-it-yourself sustainability," he said.
With Irving DeJohn
It is launching right now. It will be stationed for the next 10 days at the South Street Seaport Pier 17. You can see more about the individual systems at http://www.appropedia.org/Waterpod.
Posted by: Lonny | June 13, 2009 at 12:42 PM