Architecture is built by extracting the nutrients at the earths expense. Considering that a parasite is an organism that lives by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense, architecture is a parasite that damages the planet in order to be built. However, nature has a way of retaliating. My parasite intervention looks at highlighting the ways nature infiltrates architecture as a retaliation.

When looking around, I was fascinated by the small ways that natural effects are visible and continue to defy architecture. Cracks of paint are one of those effects as the moisture builds below the surface and peels the paint. Overtime, the cracks grow. What if these cracks could breath?

I worked with the CircuitPy and 2 motors to have the paint cracks breath at different rates. What was unexpected was that the crackling of the paint can be heard as the paper slowly moves up and down.

I wanted the cracks to breath slowly with a gentle gesture.

The parasite will be installed on the fourth floor of the library as it has been recently acquired by the collection. Photos will come soon.