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Ecology of Foreign Objects –

Platform for Environmental Awareness 2004

Ecology of Foreign Objects was conceived as an adaptive architecture that mediates between the natural and industrial ecologies of Chicago’s Calumet region. Positioned between a biologically sensitive marshland and the Ford Motor Company, the project embodies the tension and reciprocity of nature and artifice. Its design establishes the center as a “foreign object” in the landscape—one that gradually integrates into its surroundings through processes of adaptation and reuse.

The building’s hybrid envelope employs reclaimed materials, including car hoods repurposed as a brise-soleil, recycled utility poles, and endemic vines, which together create a protective skin that is both performative and symbolic. These layered systems restore ecological memory by dispersing native seeds from the rooftop and reintroducing vegetation into the disturbed landscape. The project’s sustainable strategies positioned it for LEED Platinum certification, foregrounding a commitment to ecological restoration alongside community engagement.

As a hub for environmental education, the center connects local residents, schools, and museums with the larger regional ecosystem. Its compact footprint and carefully sited form embody a balance between environmental stewardship and industrial heritage. By reimagining the byproducts of manufacturing as generative design elements, Ecology of Foreign Objects proposes an architecture of resilience, adaptation, and renewal.

HIGHLIGHTS Ecology of Foreign Objects was selected as one of five finalists from 108 entries in the international two-stage Ford Calumet Environmental Center Competition, sponsored by the City of Chicago and Ford Motor Company. The competition sought a model of sustainable architecture that would serve as an educational resource on the cultural and ecological heritage of the Calumet region while also supporting research, remediation, and community stewardship. Other finalists included Studio Gang, Carol Ross Barney, and UrbanLab, —acclaimed practices recognized for shaping contemporary architecture in Chicago and beyond.

The project was featured in Architectural Record, The Chicago Tribune, and Competitions Magazine. An exhibition model was displayed at the Chicago Architecture Foundation as part of Big & Green Chicago, a major exhibition highlighting sustainable and ecological approaches in contemporary architecture.