This project was designed in response to an open call for proposals to create an 80' x 20' banner to be hung on the exterior of vacant grain silos, located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Proposal I
CONCRETE LIVING
While the grain silos are no longer being used for their original purpose, they continue to hold potential for other human related activities. This banner portraying an adaptive reuse isnot a new concept, but one that has precedence in The Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron Hotel in Akron, Ohio. The hotel was created through the conversion and renovation of abandoned grain silos. Another example of abandoned infra-structure being reused is the Gasometer Oberhausen Exhibition Hall, in Germany. The gallery is located in an abandoned gasometer. Both buildings show the “stored potential” possessed by these massive structures.
The grain silos portrayed in the competition brief are located in a residential neighborhood, making them the perfect site for additional housing. The strong and rigid structure of the silos makes them structurally sound for residential use. By converting the silos to housing, the silos are able to live on and maintain their historical connection to the landscape while simultaneously providing new and productive space for future Omaha residents. Moreover, the embodied energy in the grain silos in Omaha would make a signifi cant contribution towards LEED certifi cation if the silos were adapted to a new use.
Proposal II
CORN-Utopia?
Economies of scale can certainly be realized when industrial agriculture focuses on one crop, for example, corn. Genetics allows planting equipment, harvesting equipment, fertilizers and pesticides all to be customized for one variety of corn. There are also costs associated with industrial scale. The old agriculturally based adage, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, comes into play here. Millions of acres planted with a uniform crop can be decimated by one disease, one unexpected genetic trait. It may be time to consider more thoroughly the pros and cons of monoculture.
To read more about the competition and to follow the project as is moves forward go to http://www.emergingterrain.org/
