Seedbank X Greenhouse
Type: Academic
Teammate: Shuqin Xu
School: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Professor: Scott Murray
Studio: Building Tecjnology and Performance
Year: Spring 2019
Site: Cahokia Historical Site, Illinois
Second Place - Graduate Student Excellence Award
The main intention of the design is to pay homage to the history of Cahokia, the City of the Sun and continue the architectural narrative that exists in that area. The building is linked to 'woodhenge' just as the 'woodhenge' is connected to the mounds.
The circular form reflects the simple geometry used in the architecture that came before and takes advantage of the panoramic views that the site has to offer. The form also relates to the Native Americans belief in a how all natural processes are cyclical. The building has been placed across the valley above the lowest point on our site. This allowed us to use the natural contours of the site to create differences in levels and steps.
A key element of the design is the treatment of the greenhouses as separate entities that ‘interlock’ with the circle. One of the greenhouses is for exhibition purposes and will house plants from different climates and offer visitors a unique experience. The Research greenhouse is integrated with the laboratories and is placed towards the south to maximize daylighting.