A Beacon of Hope Emerges from the Black Rock Desert

Lodgers: Serendipity in the Fly Ranch Wilderness by Zhicheng Xu and Mengqi Moon brings together composting toilets, reclaimed timber waste, traditional thatching methods using local materials, computational script-generated parametric design, and native species shelters to provide an environmental education venue, soil replenishment, sustainable waste management, and habitat enrichment for Fly Ranch.

Burning Man Project and the Land Art Generator Initiative are delighted to announce the results of the LAGI 2020 Fly Ranch design challenge.

Last year, creatives from around the world were asked to integrate sustainable systems for energy, water, food, shelter, and regenerative waste management into works of art in the landscape. The objectives were to design the foundational infrastructure for activities at the off-grid remote Fly Ranch site, support Burning Man Project’s 2030 sustainability goals, engage a global audience to work together towards systemic transformation, and serve as an inspiration for the fields of regenerative design and systems design.

We’re grateful for the overwhelming and inspiring responses from the nearly 200 teams who responded to the call. Proposals include spaces for human habitation and thriving that enhance wilderness habitats, regenerative venues for learning, scientific discovery, and self-expression, permaculture systems for food and organic products, infrastructure for water harvesting and blackwater recycling, innovative materials and methods for zero-emissions construction, and energy infrastructure to generate power from solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass.

Art and creativity are the connective strings that weave these systems together in regenerative cycles of energy flow, material reuse, and productivity, aspiring to kinds of synergies present within flourishing natural systems. Together the LAGI 2020 Fly Ranch projects offer a beautiful example for how to live comfortably in sync with nature in a decarbonized economy and offer a beacon of hope for a climate conscious world.

Fly Ranch invites anyone who would like to support projects to engage, comment, and offer words of wisdom regarding the top ten and the shortlisted proposals. Feel free to offer advice and volunteer to help throughout the prototyping process, which will take place beginning in the Summer of 2021.

Top Ten LAGI 2020 Fly Ranch Proposals

Click on the image for details.

Lodgers: Serendipity in the Fly Ranch Wilderness by Zhicheng Xu and Mengqi Moon brings together composting toilets, reclaimed timber waste, traditional thatching methods using local materials, computational script-generated parametric design, and native species shelters to provide an environmental education venue, soil replenishment, sustainable waste management, and habitat enrichment for Fly Ranch.

Nexus by Antoniya Stoitsova, Nicolo Bencini, Ben Naudet, Avi Greene, Alex Ogata, and Tom Kendrew (United Kingdom) explores the design capabilities of Ferrock, a sustainable alternative to concrete that absorbs CO2 through the curing process of building components.

SEED symbiotic coevolution, by Samantha Katz, Woody Nitibhon, Henry O’Donnell, Lola Lafia, Eric Baczuk, John Hilmes, Max Schwitalla, and Colin O’Donnell (USA) incorporates a solar chimney, solar PV, geothermal, passive cooling, composting, greenhouses, aquaponics, biodigesters, and greywater recycling.

The Source by Mateusz Góra and Agata Gryszkiewicz (Tamaga Studio, Poland) contributes 250 kg/year of food, 2.2 MWh/year of electricity, 9,000 liters/year of water, habitat enhancement, and soil replenishment in a spiraling rammed earth education space.

Kiba paa’a: Mountains of Water by Javier Irigaray, Josien Visser, Mara Equisoain, Deyo Maeztu-Redin, and Silvia Larripa (France) proposes a series of minimally intrusive and reversible interventions to provide sustainable water collection inspired by traditional Indigenous technologies.

The Loop by Mathias Gullbrandson, Anna Johansson, Per Dahlgren, Julia Andersson, and Olle Bjerkås (Sweden), which contributes contribute fertilizer, fruit trees, vegetables, greens, and 1.5 million liters/year of irrigation water.

Solar Mountain by Nuru Karim and Anuj Modi (India) uses solar photovoltaic and recycled materials to contribute 300 MWh of electricity per year and interactive spaces for play and exercise.

Coyote Mountain by Dusty Michael, Jane Maru, and Anna Meloyan (USA) brings together low-temperature geothermal, luminescent solar concentrator photovoltaic, bladeless wind turbines (Vortex), lithium-ion energy storage, and rammed earth construction to contribute 5,256 MWh/year of heat, 460 MWh/year of electricity, and multipurpose spaces for creative activities

Veil: an Armature Containing Void by Jamieson Pye (USA) incorporates walipini greenhouses and gravity fed water filtration within an innovative construction using local materials to provide food and to create spaces of cohabitation while generating zero waste.

Ripple by Matthew Lagomarsino, William Jacob Mast, Pierre-Yves Bertholet, Xiaojin Ren, Scherwyn Udwadia, Bas Kools, Israel Orellana, and Melika Tabrizi (USA) integrates electrochromic glass, a bioceramic dome (Geoship SPC), seed bank, solar photovoltaic, cisterns, drip irrigation, composting toilets, and native restoration plants to provide shelter, food, medicinal herbs and teas, habitat enhancement, water harvesting, 36 MWh/year of electricity, and 40,000 liters/year of harvested water.