HOUSE of EXTINCTion(ELEMENTS)

MArch Year 1, University of Greenwich

We are experiencing an accelerating extinction rate that continues to rise. Today, climate change and species extinction are among the most pressing global concerns, as we strive to address these issues and find sustainable solutions. It is crucial to prevent the ongoing loss of our planet’s biodiversity, and we are committed to taking all necessary measures to achieve this goal and ensure stability.

Establishing a research facility focused on Critical Raw Materials is essential, following reports from the Raw Material Initiative that highlight the need to regulate resources and transition away from depleting materials. Since the initial list of critical materials was released in 2011 and updated every three years, we must now take the next step—preserving the memory of our current extinction for future generations. By creating a time capsule of these elements, we can educate them on how to prevent further loss and maintain this knowledge for the future.

This project seeks to provide a unique space for researchers to study and document ongoing extinction. It will serve as a hub for creativity and exploration, where extinction itself becomes a subject of artistic interpretation, encouraging public engagement, inquiry, and reflection. The building functions as both an educational and research center.

The design philosophy that stands behind this project is driven from the idea of a time capsule of extinct materials. The House of Extinction becomes a map of encrypted extinct elements. A mine that is waiting to be explored, or to uncover its secretes. Long lasting materials are used to construct this building, as the aim of the project is to create a time-durable building capsule. A contrast between stone and metal is created to sustain the narrative of the project. Stone represents the past, while metal represents the changing future.

The building is an archive of hidden information, a time capsule, a place of dreams.