The Body Electric

A greenhouse is but a portal to Portugal. A way to grow the exports of Portugal in America. A way to bring the essence of a place – its crops to East Providence. Using cork insulation, concrete with cork aggregate and hardwoods the greenhouse will be constructed from materials native to Portugal. This greenhouse is an instrument of empire and takes from the homeland to provide a satellite building with a direct connection to Portuguese culture. It is a ribbed structure which stands out in the community and forms a habitable wall. This wall encompasses our site and creates a courtyard in which the community will inhabit. The greenhouses collect water from the ribbed roof and provides energy from the magenta solar panels in which create the barreled canopy. It is a safe space, embedded in the community by sewing itself in and out of the ground. This topography references the steep mountains of Madeira and the Azores. It uses a colorful solar powered membrane to stabilize the temperature of the building and collects water to feed the plants. This is a hydroponic farm utilizing an efficient structure that grows tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. These fresh crops are open for the community to tend and for the community kitchen to utilize.