Over 7,000 Cassettes Used to Construct Pop Up Tapehouse in Edinburgh

For those of us who listened to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/cassette-tape-lamps-add-warm-analog-glow-to-any-room/" target="_blank">cassette tapes</a>, seeing them evokes a hint of nostalgia and brings back a lot of memories. It is based on this premise that <a href="http://tryingtobeanarchitect.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Emmett McNamara</a>, an architecture student at Edinburgh College of Art, built his temporary structure out of tapes. McNamara collected over 7,000 tapes to erect Tapehouse as a way of exploring material reuse and a way to create a deeper connection with viewers. If you took the time to fully explore the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-closet-recycled-from-918-analog-cassette-tapes/" target="_blank">tape structure</a>, looking at all the band names would sure be a fun trip down memory lane.

McNamara collected the tapes from friends' old tape collections, charity shops and a tape dealer in Manchester.

7,200 tapes were organized and arranged according to color and maybe even to some extent by genre.

Wire and zip ties hold the tapes together to form the side panels of the structure, which were then attached to a frame of discarded scaffolding.

Strips of tapes hang across the top to create a semi shaded space on the interior, although it seems as if there is no door to get inside anyways.

The project was completed during the summer of 2010 during end of year celebrations in the art college.

McNamara worked on the project as a way to explore reuse of an abundant waste material that we have little use for anymore.

He also wanted to build something that evoked emotional memory attachment as a way of getting us to fall in love with materials.

By using a material that has sentimental value we can move beyond the monetary value and see the inherent value.

By using a material that has sentimental value we can move beyond the monetary value and see the inherent value.

A model of the Tapehouse shows off the random pattern of the colored tapes.

The flexible tape "material" is fastened onto the discarded scaffolding.

Tape dimensions of the structure.

An early concept sketch of the Tapehouse.