Our Anthropocene mindset has alienated us from being a part of nature. In response, a research residency based in a cornfield brings together people from different disciplines and various local species. Cultivating Companionship is a proposal that seeks to counter the exploitative practices found in the countryside today.
Through a focus on local materials, traditional building methods, and the promotion of community life, it explores the potential of a cornfield grounded in cooperation and diversity. The local development of new biobased materials and cooperation with non-humans are crucial elements for spatial design and for rebuilding connections with the intricate ecosystems that sustain life

The Nest
Accommodates up to eight humans, embracing its surroundings with tent-like walls. Crafted on-site with bio-based materials, residents personalize these walls. Experimentations and observations are documented in the material-experiments book.

The Mushroom House
Serves as a central gathering point for human residents. It fosters community, facilitates discussions, and welcomes visitors. Inspired by traditional farmhouses, the structure embodies collaboration with oyster mushrooms, including rituals of care and harvest.

Cornfield Residency
The cornfield is a human-made landscape. Monoculture plantations reduce biodiversity and cause a unsustainable human-centred transformation of the landscape. The Cornfield Residency is a proposal for an alternative research centre within a cornfield. Various perspectives and ideas come together, shaping a new community.