Don’t Accept “Mutually Exclusive”​

Article originally published on LinkedIn by Thaddeus Bartkowski 

Population-Cars Stat Since 1950, the U.S. population has more than doubled in size, growing from 152 million to 324 million. In that same period the number of registered automobiles has increased by over 1000%, exploding from 25 million to 276 million.

That growth has brought an increase in development and with it an ever increasing use of the term “mutually exclusive,” a term denoting that two things can’t exist at the same time or place. It’s a conclusion I detest, and one that is usually drawn by those too intellectually apathetic or lacking in creativity to figure out a better solution. Many great innovations have come from people unwilling to accept the concept of mutually exclusive, who then proceeded to create something transformative.

The term sustainable development was first introduced in 1969 and refers to economic development that benefits both current and future generations without harming the planet’s resources. It is a critical goal for urban planners, but one that frequently falls short of being achieved.

Catalyst Experiential is putting these principles into practice, pursuing sustainable development by finding ways to combine things that conventional wisdom says are “mutually exclusive.”

Why can’t renewable energy generation coexist with digital displays?
I’m proud to be part of team that has done it.

Why can’t off-premise signs be integrated with stately architecture and arboretum-worthy landscaping, so they enhance the built environment rather than interrupt it?
We’ve done that—and continue to do it throughout the country.

Or, how about softening the “concrete jungle” with water features that cool the surrounding area?
Our team began doing that almost a decade ago.


This week we are putting the finishing touches on one of our latest landmarks, which brings together an unexpected combination of elements. We’ve integrated visual communication technology with a living wall and a flowing wall of water. Living walls are plants grown in a modular pod in a greenhouse then attached to a wall where they grow horizontally, fed by an internal irrigation system. Using different species with diverse color pallets, the placement is done to create beautiful mosaics that are dynamic as the plants change from season to season. Beyond the aesthetic value, living walls remove greenhouse gasses, aid in reducing ambient temperatures, filter impurities from rainwater runoff, and reduce carbon dioxide and noise pollution. On top of the functional aspects, they look pretty awesome as well.

With a long list of fully approved projects that continue to defy the term mutually exclusive in the construction que for 2020, it’s going to be an exciting year at Catalyst.


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