Self-contained bog built on college roof

About this project

client
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
location
Minnesota
cost
$27,600
completion date
2014

Ecosystem project showcases nature and engineering

Barr worked with artist Christine Baeulmer to design and build a self-contained bog atop an entrance canopy of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

Creating and sustaining a moisture-loving plant community in the desert-like conditions on a roof posed challenges related to water sources, circulation, evaporation rates, and pH balance. To keep the plants in two inches of water, we designed a cistern to collect the building’s stormwater runoff and recirculate it to the bog using a solar pump, with city water as a backup. Funded by a grant from the McKnight Foundation, the bog showcases the team’s ability to establish a natural ecosystem in an unnatural urban environment, and the results exceeded everyone’s expectations. The project began as a temporary art exhibit, but became a permanent installation. 

Key team members

Fred Rozumalski

Landscape Architect and Ecologist

Kurt Leuthold

Vice President
Senior Civil Engineer

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