This design for a seed vault began with an examination of the current state of agricultural infrastructure, which has grown in recent decades into a massive global network of genetically modified seeds. The result is a kit-of-parts that translates ideas about genetic modification into architectural form, by offering a range of elements that can be recombined to create new outcomes and spatial possibilities: a diverse range of sociocultural meanings made from the same basic units. The parts join to form 5ft cubes, seed containers that maintain a human scale even when the complex grows larger.

The project explored various ritual and cultural associations to seeds, culminating in the creation of a system that could dynamically produce spaces to address these diverse needs: the seed shrine, the seed laboratory, the seed exchange, and so on. The community-oriented approach of the kit works against the legally-constrictive activities of seed-manufacturing conglomerates, which hold patent rights and thereby prevent the reuse of seeds from previous years’ harvests. As seed containers proliferate with the growth of the complex, they create opportunities for small-scale seed exchange and the regeneration of seed diversity, challenging the reality of monocultural industrial farming.

ggcaaaggaa cccacca tgcctttcag ctggattttc gataggcaag tgaagctgta g immondsia chinensisgene(94)delta-9 desaturase 4ttga agcttcacca cacggccttc aatccttcca tggcggttac ctcttcggga 6cgat cgtatcacct cagatctcac cgcgttttca tggcttcttc tacaattgga cttcta aggagatacc caatgccaaa aagcctcaca tgcctcctag agaagctcat aaaaga cccattcaat gccgcctcaa aagattgaga ttttcaaatc cttggagggt 24gagg agaatgtctt ggtgcatctt aaacctgtgg agaagtgttg gcaaccacaa 3tctac ccgacccggc ctccgaggga tttatggatc aagtcaagga gttgagggaa 36aaag aaatcccgga tgagtacctt gtggtgttgg ttggcgatat gatcactgaa 42cttc cgacctacca gacgatgcta aacacgctcg atggagtacg tgatgagacg 48agcc ttacttcttg ggctatctgg acccgggcat ggaccgctga agagaatagg 54gatc ttttgaacaa gtatctttac cttactggtc gagttgacat gaagcagata 6gacaa tccagtatct aatcggatct ggaatggacc ctcgaagtga aaacaacccc 66ggct tcatctacac ttccttccaa gagagagcaa ccttcatctc ccatggaaac 72aggc tcgccaaaga ccacggcgac tttcaactag cacaagtatg tggcatcatc 78gatg agaagcgcca cgaaactgcc tacacaaaaa ttgtcgaaaa gctctttgaa 84ccag acggcgctgt tctagcacta gctgacatga tgagaaagaa ggtttccatg 9ccact taatgtatga tggcaaagat gacaatctct ttgagaacta ctcagccgtc 96caaa ttggagttta caccgcgaag gactacgctg acatcctcga acacctcgtt cgctgga aagtcgagaa tttaatgggt ctgtctggcg agggacataa ggctcaagat gtatgtg ggttggcccc gaggatcagg aaactcgggg agagagctca gtcgctaagc ccggtat ctcttgtccc cttcagctgg attttcaaca aggaattgaa ggtt rtificialFATB-2 cDNA Contig 42gagggaaaca aggaagcgaa atgacacaat agtccttctt ccctgtttcc actttccagg 6cctt ctcgtttgtt gagcgctttt ctctccctct ccctcttctt cactcagtca ccgtag aaattcatta tggtggcaac agctgcaact tcatcatttt tccctgttac ccctcg ccggactctg gtggacatgc aaagttactc aaaataatcg ctggccctat 24attg ttaatattct tcccttcttt accttctact ttccgaatcc agaaaacacc 3accac ccagaattgt tgggttccat tctcaaaaca gagaacaaga agaagaagaa 36agag tgaaaacggg aaaagcaaaa agttgtttct gtgattgatt ctctgcaacc 42tcat cagccacttc ttcccgtttc atctctccca tttcttcttt tcttccgctc 48agta aggcgaagag ggttaacgtt attcataatg gttgcaacag ccgctacggc 54tctt cccgtgcctt tgccagacgc tggaaaaggg aaacccaaga aactgggtgg 6gcggt ggcggtggcg gttctgtgaa cctcggagga ctcaaacaga aacaaggttt 66tggc ttgcaggtca aggcaaacgc acaagcccct ccgaagaccg tggagaaggt 72tgat ttgtcgtcgt cgtcctcgtc gatttcgcac gccccgagga ctttcatcaa 78acct gactggagca tgcttctggc cgccatcacc accgtgttcc tggcggcgga 84gtgg atgatgctgg attggaagcc gcggcgcccc gacatgctca ttgacccctt 9ttggg aagatcgtgc aggatgggct tgtgttcagg cagaacttcc ccattaggtc 96gatt ggcgccgata aaaccgcgtc tatcgagact ttaatgaatc atttgcagga tgcactt aatcatgtta agactgctgg gcttcttggt gatggatttg gttccacgcc aatgtgc aaaaagaacc tgatatgggt ggtgactaag atgcaggttg tggttgataa tcccaca tggggtgatg ttgttcaagt agacacttgg gtatctgcat cagggaagaa tatgtgt cgtgattggc ttgtgcgtga cgcgaaatct ggtgaaatct tgacaagagc cagtgtt tgggtcatga tgaataaagt gacaagaaga ctgtctaaaa ttcccgaaga cagggca gagataagct cttattttgt ggactctgct ccagttgtgc cagaggataa aaaacta accaaacttg atgaatccgc taatttcatt cgcactggtt taagtcccag gaatgat ctagatgtga atcagcatgt taacaatgtg aagtatgttg ggtggattct gagtgct ccacagccac ttttggagag ccatgagctg tgtgccatga cattggagta gagggag tgtggcagga acagtgtgct ggattccctc tctgatctct ctggtgctga aggaaac ttggcagatg gtggattttt tgagtgcaag cacttgcttc gacttgatga tgctgag attgtgaggg gtaggactca atggaggccc aaacctttaa gcagcaactt tcatgtt ttgagtcagg ttccagttcc agcagaaagc acctgaatct tatcttattg ggcatca ctggaggagg agtggcataa attcatagag agctttgctt gtttttatca ctacgta tcttaaaata tatataaaag aaagtgtgtt actttggcta aaaaagggga gaagtag aaagtaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aatctcgctc tcatgatttt gtaattaaaa agctcct agcactactt tctcctacct gctccatttt ctgtttcact tatggttatg 2tgcttg gtgtcatcaa tatttaattg tttcatc 234DNAGlycine max 43ggaaacaagg aagcgaaatg acacaatagt ccttcttccc tgtttccact ttccaggttt 6tctc gtttgttgag cgcttttctc tccctctccc tcttcttcac tcagtcaggt taacaa atctgctatt caatcaattc ctctttctct ctgatctacg tacgtgtccg ctgcac ctccactctc cactcattcc atctaatctt cccttttcgc ttcagagatc 24ctca tataattcaa gacaaaatcc cgcgttttct gcatttctag acgttctacc 3aggtt ctcgattctt cttttttctt tttttttaga ctattattat tttaaaaaaa 36taat aatgagagct ggatgcgtct gttcgttgtg aatttcgagg caatggggtt 42ttcg ttacagattg cattgtttgc tttcctcctc tccgtttttt ctttgccttg 48tttt taattttggg gatgttttcg gtcttgcctt tgtttctgca tttttttttc 54cgat gttttcagat ctgcgctggc ttatacgacg aatttgttct tattcgtgac 6gcttg attgacctgt tttacctctg gaatctcaca cgtgatcaaa taaggctgct 66gttg aagtagaatc tatacacact ttgtagcatt ctttttacga tcacttacac 72tttt taatcaggct ttttttgtgg gggtataaac atcttcctcc tcgattcttt 78aaag cttaattgga ttataggaag tgggaaacaa tgcgtgggag ctctttggtt 84tcgt aggttaaact tgcaggttta agttctgaat caggagttcc aaatatagag 9gggca taaaaaaaga gaattctatg gatctgttct gaaattggag ccactgtttc 96ctat ttttttacta gtattaataa gaacaagttt gctttttatt ttacattttt cgtttct tttgccaaaa gtatttatga tcactctctt ctgtttgtga tattacttat tgctgtg ctgtaattat ttgttatttg gggtgaagta taatttttgg gtgaacttgg gttttta gttagattga tttctcgata tcatttaagg tttaggttga ccccttccac tttgtgg ttgattgttt tttttttttt atctcttatc atttacagtg cttctttgcc ttttttc attatcccct ttcgtgaaag gtaggagaag aaaaacaatg acttgcgtaa ttgcatg cagctgccgt agaaattcat tatggtggca acagctgcaa cttcatcatt ccctgtt acttcaccct cgccggactc tggtggacat gcaaagttac tcaaaataat tggccct atcacattat tgttaatatt cttcccttct ttaccttcta ctttccgaat gaaaaca ccacaacacc acccagaatt gttgggttcc attctcaaaa cagagaacaa gaagaag aaagagagag agtgaaaacg ggaaaagcaa aaagttgttt ctgtgattga tctgcaa ccgaatcatc atcagccact tcttcccgtt tcatctctcc catttcttct cttccgc tctggttcag taaggcgaag agggttaacg ttattcataa tggttgcaac cgctacg gcgtcgtttc ttcccgtgcc tttgccagac gctggaaaag ggaaacccaa actgggt ggtggtggcg gtggcggtgg cggttctgtg aacctcggag gactcaaaca acaaggt ttgtgcggtg gcttgcaggt caaggcaaac gcacaagccc ctccgaagac ggagaag gttgagaatg atttgtcgtc gtcgtcctcg tcgatttcgc acgccccgag tttcatc aaccagttac ctgactggag catgcttctg gccgccatca ccaccgtgtt 2gcggcg gagaagcagt ggatgatgct ggattggaag ccgcggcgcc ccgacatgct 2gacccc tttgggattg ggaagatcgt gcaggatggg cttgtgttca ggcagaactt 2attagg tcctatgaga ttggcgccga taaaaccgcg tctatcgaga ctttaatgaa 222gcag gtcagctttt gcaaaaaatt gctgagaatt gcattcagca atcacgataa 228cttt taataaatta ttatagaagt taagtaactt atcacgggtt gtcaacaaaa 234agaa taattgcata ggacaaaact tacctacagt tcgtttgaca ttttttgtgt 24ttaaa tcaaaattaa aattttatct tggtaatttg cagattatta gatacaactc 246cgat caaagaacaa tgccaaaaac acctatggaa tctaagtttt gtgcaattgc 252atga ttttatttta ttgcctaaat tgtctgtttt ccaaacagga gactgcactt 258gtta agactgctgg gcttcttagt gatggatttg gttccacgct gaaatgtgca 264acct gatatgggtg gtgactaaga tgcaggttgt ggttgataaa tatcccacat 27gttgg tgtgactaag aagaaccttt ttgatgtgtg aagaattgca aaggcgtcca 276gctg tgaaatcttc ttttgcctta ctcatcttta ctttgacttt atatagtatc 282aatt attttgtact tctgcatttg tttctgtcac ttgtgctttt ttgtttcaca 288gtat gatagttagg aacttgggat taaaggcatg tttggaatat attgtgattg 294attt ttaaaaatat tttcactttt caaaatctat ctcatgaatc tgtaaaaata 3taaaaa ataaaactac tgtaatgtgt ataaaaaatt cttcttggat ggtaattgat 3taagca catgcttttt acataatgaa ttatatgaag tcctttgcct taagtctgtt 3tgggta tgagatatgg tagtaaattc tttttacatt ccgtacattt ttttgcatat 3gtctta ttattgtaaa atgttggatg catatacagg ttttcaaaag aagcaactta 324gtgc ccttttctgc attttggtct gttcgagaat aatctcttta gtaaattctg 33gttca tctgaagttg agtgaatcta tatttgcttc aggggtgatg ttgttcaagt 336ttgg gtatctgcat cagggaagaa tggtatgtgt cgtgattggc ttgtgcgtga 342atct ggtgaaatct tgacaagagc ctccaggtag atatcagttt caggaatcct 348ctgt tgcctataga catgttttga agagtttttc tgaatctgaa tgtttctctc 354tttg gcactgcttt taatctcacg aggctgtgtg aagttatcta ttatcatatt 36tctct taatacacca ctattgaaag gcaattcatt acagatttaa gcatacaaaa 366tgat gataattttt taatctacca acagtatcta atatcttctt aatttgttat 372ccag ccttcaactt gtgtacatgt tgcaccttgg tgctacgaac ttataagcat 378attg gttgagtttg attttgattt tgatgttatg cagtgtttgg gtcatgatga 384tgac aagaagactg tctaaaattc ccgaagaagt cagggcagag ataagctctt 39gtgga ttctgctcca gttgtgccag aggataacag aaaactaacc aaacttgatg 396ctaa tttcattcgc actggtttaa gtcccagatg gaatgatcta gatgtgaatc 4tgttaa caatgtgaag tatgttgggt ggattctgga gagtgctcca cagccacttt 4gagcca tgagctgtgt gccatgacat tggagtacag gagggagtgt ggcaggaaca 4gctgga ttccctctct gatctctctg gtgctgatgt aggaaacttg gcagatggtg 42tttga gtgcaagcac ttgcttcgac ttgatgatgg tgctgagatt gtgaggggta 426aatg gaggcccaaa cctttaagca gcaactttgg tcatgttttg agtcaggttc 432cagc agaaagcacc tgaatcttat cttattgatt ggcatcactg gaggaggagt 438aatt catagagagc tttgcttgtt tttatcaaat ctacgtatct taaaatatat 444gaaa gtgtgttact ttggctaaaa aaggggaggg gaagtagaaa gtaaaaaaaa 45aaaat ctcgctctca tgattttgta attaaaaaat agctcctagc actactttct 456tgct ccattttctg tttcacttat ggttatgctg ctgcttggtg tcatcaatat 462gttt catc 463444Glycine max 44gtacgctaac aaatctgcta ttcaatcaat tcctctttct ctctgatcta cgtacgtgtc 6ctgc acctccactc tccactcatt ccatctaatc ttcccttttc gcttcagaga actcct catataattc aagacaaaat cccgcgtttt ctgcatttct agacgttcta acaagg ttctcgattc ttcttttttc ttttttttta gactattatt attttaaaaa 24aata ataatgagag ctggatgcgt ctgttcgttg tgaatttcga ggcaatgggg 3atttt cgttacagat tgcattgttt gctttcctcc tctccgtttt ttctttgcct 36tatt tttaattttg gggatgtttt cggtcttgcc tttgtttctg catttttttt 42tgcg atgttttcag atctgcgctg gcttatacga cgaatttgtt cttattcgtg 48cgct tgattgacct gttttacctc tggaatctca cacgtgatca aataaggctg 54tagt tgaagtagaa tctatacaca ctttgtagca ttctttttac gatcacttac 6tggtt tttaatcagg ctttttttgt gggggtataa acatcttcct cctcgattct 66taaa agcttaattg gattatagga agtgggaaac aatgcgtggg agctctttgg 72tttc gtaggttaaa cttgcaggtt taagttctga atcaggagtt ccaaatatag 78gggg cataaaaaaa gagaattcta tggatctgtt ctgaaattgg agccactgtt 84tgct atttttttac tagtattaat aagaacaagt ttgcttttta ttttacattt 9cgttt cttttgccaa aagtatttat gatcactctc ttctgtttgt gatattactt 96gctg tgctgtaatt atttgttatt tggggtgaag tataattttt gggtgaactt gcgtttt tagttagatt gatttctcga tatcatttaa ggtttaggtt gaccccttcc cgtttgt ggttgattgt tttttttttt ttatctctta tcatttacag tgcttctttg atttttt tcattatccc ctttcgtgaa aggtaggaga agaaaaacaa tgacttgcgt ttttgca tgcag 38DNAGlycine max 45gtcagctttt gcaaaaaatt gctgagaatt gcattcagca atcacgataa atataacttt 6atta ttatagaagt taagtaactt atcacgggtt gtcaacaaaa atttagagaa tgcata ggacaaaact tacctacagt tcgtttgaca ttttttgtgt cgtttttaaa aattaa aattttatct tggtaatttg cagattatta gatacaactc caatttcgat 24acaa tgccaaaaac acctatggaa tctaagtttt gtgcaattgc ttattgatga 3tttta ttgcctaaat tgtctgtttt ccaaacag 3384664cine max 46gtaagttggt gtgactaaga agaacctttt tgatgtgtga agaattgcaa aggcgtccat 6ctgt gaaatcttct tttgccttac tcatctttac tttgacttta tatagtatct gaatta ttttgtactt ctgcatttgt ttctgtcact tgtgcttttt tgtttcacaa ggtatg atagttagga acttgggatt aaaggcatgt ttggaatata ttgtgattgt 24tttt taaaaatatt ttcacttttc aaaatctatc tcatgaatct gtaaaaataa 3aaaaa taaaactact gtaatgtgta taaaaaattc ttcttggatg gtaattgatc 36gcac atgcttttta cataatgaat tatatgaagt cctttgcctt aagtctgtta 42gtat gagatatggt agtaaattct ttttacattc cgtacatttt tttgcatatt 48ttat tattgtaaaa tgttggatgc atatacaggt tttcaaaaga agcaacttat 54tgcc cttttctgca ttttggtctg ttcgagaata atctctttag taaattctga 6ttcat ctgaagttga gtgaatctat atttgcttca

Excerpt from US Patent No. 8,609,953, “Soybean seed and oil compositions and methods of making same” (2013)

The project culminates in the development of Mendel’s Garden.