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Intro 2024 summer kiss skyscraper section 06   benjamin akhavan

Soil Tower

I have designed a skyscraper that provides a unique experience for both moles and humans. The design prioritizes creating a comfortable habitat for moles while offering an immersive space for people to experience life as a mole. The tower is filled with soil, allowing moles to freely create their tunnels. Inside the building, there are human-scale tunnels that extend to the top and connect to the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. On the rooftops, sensory gardens offer an opportunity to experience a mole’s heightened senses through plants. Additionally, the building incorporates a circular program, as moles contribute to the oxygen levels in the earth, which is crucial for plants, which in turn provide nutrition for earthworms, that moles eat.