Ellie Sampson

Reproduction Laboratory, 2014

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The Reproduction Laboratory honours the memory of Richard Nickel, a Chicagoan famous for his heroic rescues of architectural ornamentation destined for the wrecking ball. The Laboratory proposes a new wing of the Arts Institute of Chicago, which scrutinises, preserves and reproduces architecturally significant fragments. The self replicating framework mimics the multifaceted urban grain of Chicago. The structure continually scans itself and prints or moulds new pieces which can  be added to its ever expanding structure.