East of Eden
A participatory artist-led experiment in geodesic ecology, working with secondary school students to create and plant two geodesic domes and compare traditional perma-culture metho
Initiator(s)
Lucy Stockton-Smith, Arts Catalyst
Description
For 18 months, Lucy Stockton-Smith worked with teachers and pupils at Sandwich Technology School in Kent to plan, design, build and fully utilise two geodesic ecology domes in the grounds of the school. Each dome now houses a microenvironment in which food crops are grown. The ‘Perma-pod’ is an environment which follows the principles of sustainable land use. It incorporates a wormery and is used to cultivate plants and wildlife which are ‘companions’, and beneficial to each other and the soil. The ‘Techno-pod’ aims to recreate contemporary farming methods, including the use of pesticides and intensive cultivation. These contrasting environments have served as a platform from which artists have led a diverse range of workshops across the school curriculum, in science, art, design and technology, geography, music and history. The project has seized upon areas where science has overlapped into other subjects. Students have been growing a huge variety of fruit and vegetables both inside and outside the domes. They conduct wildlife surveys, document the plant life and use it for inspiration for poetry and writing. Others are currently researching and designing a medieval garden. Other artists have come in to work on the project and lead workshops, including Antony Hall and Marcus Ahlers. Artists’ workshops have included making solar ovens and solar puddles; a bio-acoustic project; and the building of a rainwater harvesting system and an automatic irrigation system for the domes.
Goals
To cultivate understanding of and excitement about ecology and food growing techniques.
To develop self-confidence and autonomous working skills in students.
To develop interdisciplinary projects in a whole school activity.
To integrate art across many areas of the school curriculum.
Beneficial outcomes
A love of ecology and understanding of where food comes from in young people. Inter-disciplinary and inter-class working, across subjects and age groups, with artistic practice at the heart of all activities.
Location
United Kingdom
Users
Sandwich Technology School students
Maintained by
Sandwich Technology School
Duration
2004-2006
Category
Scientific
Pedagogical
Politics
Urban Development
Economy
Environment
Social
