MARK DION VIVARIUM – SEATTLE, WA

This commissioned artwork occupies a focal intersection of the Olympic Sculpture Park. ORA worked with a prefabricated greenhouse manufacturer to push beyond the building type’s traditional form to create the structure’s dynamic form and to realize the vision of artist Mark Dion and Park Architects Weiss Manfredi. Conceptually, the Vivarium investigates nature as process: the greenhouse shelters a fallen “nurse-log”, hosting simultaneous processes of decay and rebirth. The integrated rainwater catchment irrigation system, colored glass and natural ventilation simulate the log’s natural environment – essentially placing the nurse log on life support in this urban environment. The installation serves as an environmental learning center which erodes conventional boundaries between science and art.

Image Credits: Benjamin Benschneider, ORA