Erin Besler's Earth Shed Turns Excavated Princeton Soil Into an Architecture Exhibition
There's this interesting installation called Earth Shed by Erin Besler, an assistant professor, at the Princeton University School of Architecture, which you can check out until December 4. It features soil taken from the campus itself, along with tools used for working with the earth. What's cool is that there are mirror-glass plates with lenticular prints in the soil, creating some dynamic reflections. Besler's work critiques how modern construction often overlooks the origins of cheap materials. She promotes hands-on learning in construction, viewing earth as a type of "social media" that thrives on personal connections. Plus, there’s a workshop on November 14 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., where anyone can help contribute soil and make blocks, and it's free!
Key facts
- Earth Shed is on view at the Princeton University School of Architecture until December 4
- The exhibition was designed and organized by assistant professor Erin Besler of Besler & Sons
- Much of the installation's soil was excavated from Princeton University's campus foundations to clear space for new buildings
- Lenticular prints on mirror-glass plates, printed by Parallax Printing, are embedded in the soil piles
- Tools on display include shovels, tampers, and ratchet straps
- Participatory workshops invite guests to contribute soil, ram earth, make blocks, and return materials for reuse
- Earth City Building Workshop with the Princeton University Art Museum runs November 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., free and open to the public
- The project frames the construction site as a platform for experiential learning and research
Entities
Artists
- Erin Besler
Institutions
- Princeton University School of Architecture
- Besler & Sons
- Parallax Printing
- Princeton University Art Museum
- Princeton University
Locations
- Princeton
- United States
- New Jersey