Insectarium

Located on a slope between the Cornell campus and the Plantations, the pavilion acts as both a destination and an entering point to the plantations. Starting with a series of sketch models to experiment and investigate certain site conditions, the project is inspired by the erosion of soil as a result of habitation by insects. The pavilion creates clusters of ambiguous spaces that foster learning through exploration while also creating a suitable living environment for the insects on display. The specific ground conditions blur the edge between the naturally formed and constructed environment and create an experiential mode of interaction between the user and the collection of insects.