Dan Phillips

Dan Phillips was an American designer and builder from Texas. He was the founder and face of Phoenix Commotion, a construction company established in 1997. Phoenix Commotion focuses on designing Eco-friendly homes for low-income individuals and families such as struggling artists and single mothers. The company’s goals include reducing landfill burdens through the use of excess and recyclable materials; providing low-income housing through selection of cheap materials and labor; and allowing opportunities for the unemployed by training unskilled workers.

As a for-profit organization, Phoenix Commotion hopes to show the financial and ethical benefits of sustainable building and challenge current standard building codes and building methods, which favor the use of raw materials.

Background

Phillips grew up in Littleton, Colorado. He was the youngest of three children to George Phillips, a former lumber company owner and Phoebe, a homemaker (died in 1979). Phillips undertook a master's degree in dance at Sam Houston State University. In 1969 Dan Phillips married wife Marsha Phillips, a formal high school teacher, they have two children Ian and Phoebe.

Phoenix Commotion As of 2009 the company had constructed 14 homes in Huntsville, Texas. They ensure all homes meet local building codes and are approved by qualified engineers, electricians and plumbers. The home’s eventual residents also provide additional labor in the majority of projects as a way of saving costs during construction and post construction, as skills can assist in the future maintenance of the home. with preferred minimal landscaping techniques such as xeriscaping and simplified interior features such as no carpet, vinyl, dishwasher, garbage disposer, trash compactor, separate dining room and large bedrooms. All features of the home opt for environmental alternatives such as tank-less water heaters and the toilet and washing machine being fed with rainwater from a cistern.

Payments on homes constructed range from $99 to $300 a month. In numerous cases homeowners have been unable to sustain payments, leading to the homes being lost to foreclosure and resold. The majority of potential buyers include middle-class individuals who value the homes unique design and energy efficiency.

Materials and Design Strategies

Phoenix Commotion homes are built from 70 - 80% of materials that have been recovered from other construction projects. The home's design specifics depend on the materials and resources available at the time. Features salvaged materials such as the double front door and the entire kitchen, including appliances. Some features in the home are constructed from organic materials, for example, hickory nuts, chicken eggs functioning as architectural buttons on the corbel for the turret,

Budweiser House

The construction of the Budweiser House was based on the American ‘Budweiser Beer’. The external facade of the house has been produced based on the color scheme and the pattern of the beer bottle. The bathroom walls encapsulate a circular design stemming from the bathtub, just like bubbles that surface in a beer, and the tap handles for the bath are made from beer taps.

Media

Phoenix Commotion has featured internationally on programs such as TED Talks International, Associated French Press, Japan – Muri, Italy Home Wellness, Germany – TV, Ireland – The Eco Ezine and China Beijing News.