Exhibition Plan View
The exhibition is organized around 7 features, viewed through 7 transition zones.
The features replicate distressed environmental conditions common in cities and/or urban micro-climates important to ruderals. Human structures and spontaneous plants will combine to create new, fun and functional modes of coexistence and mutual support.
The transition zones, represented in this drawing by vision cones, are ideal viewing moments between or inside features, both visually and in a curatorial sense. They help tell the story, and showcase the design concept of progression through visual discovery and complex forms related to memory.
Section AA
Section BB
Perspective view from NE
Landscape
The landscaping features changes in elevation appropriate to the curatorial storytelling. For example, Section AA shows the important continuum between three features from left to right: Vertical Forms to Debris Pile to Reed Pool. They are conversations on the urban built environment, its eventual disposal/abandonment and the flow of chemicals to underground waters.
Zone 1: Entry
The visitor is greeted by wall-etched introduction text, and the start of two pathways. A series of built elements serve to hide most of the exhibits, exposing only carefully curated glimpses, some alluding to future changes.
Zone 2: Strategies
“Strategies” is about plant adaptation to urban conditions, such as carpetweed subsisting on air-conditioning drip under windows on summer months, and hibernating the rest of the year.
“Drip Grid” is an expression of strategy in the shape of a carpetweed chessboard facilitated through an overhead structure that incorporates plumbing with a dripping schedule.
Zone 3: Downflow
“Downflow” talks about materiality. Specifically about city infrastructure’s impermeability to plant growth, and its eventual material deterioration to useless and polluting debris heaps.
A succession of building representations, called Vertical Forms lead the visitor’s eye to a heap of demolition debris (Debris Pile). Some “Vertical Forms” are constructed in such a way as to eventually bend, and together with ruderal growth form niches, perhaps for small animal habitation.
3/4" scale model of a "Vertical Form"
13 7/8" x 6 3/8 x 4 1/2"
Pigmented plaster, wood, galvanized wire
Vertical/Leaning Form time progression
A Vetrical /Leaning Form element transforming over time. The concrete slab structure is supported on one side by wooden elements. Those will decay as the years go by, causing the structure to slowly lean and assume a bent shape. On site, spontaneous plants growing around and inside the pie shaped nooks will facilitate bird and small animal nesting.
Zone 4: Conduit
“Conduit” speaks to discarded buildings, sites and brownfields, and the eventual flow of chemicals to the soil and underground waters.
This triangular gallery running through a heap of demolition debris (Debris Pile), is made in part of glass that exposes the slow deterioration of materials as they slough on the glass walls. The Corten steel “open cap” at the end, affords a partial view to the Reed Pool, a runoff collection pond from the surrounding buildings and streets. Sections of its sides are made of sheet metal, designed to eventually deteriorate due to the presence of corrosive chemicals , and allow water and phragmites to fill preformed trenches, forming private gathering enclosures.
Process model of the Zone 4 concept, from the NEXT 2022 installation.
Diorama of the "Reed Pool" feature in a future, fully realized state.
Zone 5: Opportunities
“Opportunities” is about the importance – to ruderal plants – of niche environments and microclimates such as chain-link fences.
“Climbing Ops" features a salvaged damaged fence set at an angle, to form a trellis for vines for shade and relaxation. The concrete slab structure is a free interpretation of the impact force on the ground, had the fence not been there to absorb it. It provides reclining surfaces and accommodates a path to and glimpse of the next feature.
Scale model of "Climbing Ops", from the NEXT 2022 installation
Zone 6: Spill
“Spill” is about the environmental fallout of de-icing salts to streams and lakes and the presence of alkaline soil in cities. The unbalanced PH and poor structure in that type of soil stunts plant growth but ruderals such as mugwort are adapted to it.
A deep canyon-like passageway (Salt Pan) leads the eye and the way to the Reed Pool. Its concrete sides retain volumes of alkaline soil, but for wooden sections that will deteriorate over time, allowing for soil spills that – combined with ruderal growth – will create privacy partitions between benches, and a more winding walking path.
Zone 6 view arrangement from NEXT 2022 installation
"Salt Pan" scaled model installed at NEXT 2022
"Salt Pan" detail
"Salt Pan" in a future version, with collapsed sides forming ruderal partitions between benches. The hard-edged, linear and concrete structure has assumed a softer aspect. Detail from wall drawing in NEXT 2022 installation.
Zone 7: Fissure
Concrete paving is a major contributor to the “heat island” effect in cities. However, cracks in such infrastructure, are an important microclimate for ruderal growth that also helps remediate pavement heat.
"Fissure Lattice" is a field of cracked concrete pavement slabs that form a soft edge condition with the adjacent sidewalk, ushering the visitor to an earthen and concrete enclosure/viewing gallery, with a passageway “cracked through” to the rest of the exhibition. Selected seed plantings will eventually yield bushes and/or trees that will transform the bare surface to a shaded “urban grove”.
"Fissure Lattice" fully developed into an urban grove. Detail from the wall drawing in NEXT 2022 installation.