Community collaboration at every stage of design and construction

For this project, the Forest Preserves of Cook County wanted to develop interest in conservation among citizen naturalists, including teens at Oak Park River Forest High School. We led design workshops with students and then hosted community volunteer workshops at each stage of the sculpture’s construction.

The sculpture uses a natural building method known as cordwood construction. This method uses wood logs as masonry units within a portland cement-based mortar.

The wood (buckthorn- an invasive) was harvested from various forest preserves in Cook County, and was debarked by community volunteers.

You can see the completed work here.