Smithsonian Museum of Artificial Ecologies

Graduate Studio - University of Virginia, 2016

Sited at one of the last undeveloped parcels on the National Mall is a wedge-shaped plot of grass directly facing the Capitol building. Here a new branch of the Smithsonian Institution would be home to the numerous artificial ecologies developed to sustain, enhance, and replace the natural environmental processes that support agriculture and life itself. Harkening back to Washington’s original marshy state, the site would become a restored wetland environment. Captured stormwater and runoff work their way through the site via 2 parallel systems - the restored wetland, and a state of the art mechanical filtration system.

In this second system, the treated water is utilized in support of hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and vertical farming. In an environment badly in need of the love and support from the very same species that caused the damage, these new systems could form a network of solutions - all within view of our nation’s leaders.