What began as a few random lines of ink on blank paper ended up representing my take on an organic architecture that grows out of the ground, and into the light.
I imagined living inside a pearly soft and smooth shell-like structure teaming with life.
A blanket of loose, friable soil planted with ornamental and edible plants stabilized indoor temperatures and sponged up water for recharging the local groundwater aquifer.
A building footprint that develops life rather than displaces it, and like a tree, the older the building grows, the greater its ecosystem value.
Safely managed blackwater and graywater irrigation created lush gardens, orchards, and tree canopies. Plants in semi-outdoor spaces freshened indoor air flows. Building shapes, openings, and sight-lines filled internal spaces with reflected light while intentionally marking annual solar and lunar calendar events.
Inspiration
As a student bicycling between the University of Oregon campus and my refuge in a west Eugene neighborhood garage, I would often see a girl striding barefoot along the cold, hard streets of the campus commercial district. The pavement seemed softer under her feet, and her poise made the shoe-wearing crowds around her seem out of place. I imagined a world made for barefoot living - a world less trampled.
Many of the ideas behind this artwork were informed by my experience with pneumatically placed concrete, stained-glass, landscaping, the work of James Hubbell and the writings of Frank Lloyd Wright.
