Rock and Roll: Synthetic Incubators for a Post-human Nature
The Rock and Roll project proposes a system of synthetic incubators to be placed in the Inglewood Oil Field, THEremodeling a former industrial site through a combination of architectural prototypes and speculative ecological processes. Zihua Mo and Chunyu Ma’s design explores how built systems can act as active agents in environmental regeneration, shifting the focus from anthropocentric employment to autonomous, responsive infrastructures.
At the core of the proposal is the development of ‘Homunculi’, considered architectural entities with built-in sensing and reaction capabilities. These full-scale prototypes act as instruments of environmental interaction, generating data and spatial behaviors independent of human perception. Two main components, Rocker and Roller, work as an interdependent system.
Animal Incubator: synthetic embryos are grown here to become leaders of new animal species, while processed waste is dumped into a ‘Waste Lagoon’ to nourish the site | all images courtesy of Zihua Mo and Chunyu Ma
Architectural systems as agents of environmental regeneration
The Rocker is a grounded structure composed of concrete and metal, designed to extract atmospheric moisture and redistribute it throughout the area based on humidity levels. Instead, the roller is a mobile, lightweight element that disperses biological material through irregular movements. The interaction between these two elements is mediated through mechanical joints and double-pendulum systems, producing variable and non-linear trajectories of movement that inform the spatial organization. This operational logic is extended to a larger network of architectural interventions distributed throughout the site. Four types of incubators are introduced as part of a grid-based system, each with a specific role within a constructed ecological cycle.
Manimal acts as an animal incubator, producing synthetic organisms that are integrated into the area. The by-products of these organisms are treated in a designated tailings lagoon. Acting as a plant incubator, Putant uses nutrients derived from this lagoon to grow modified plant species with the ability to filter, distributing seeds through wind-driven movement. The fungus acts as a fungal incubator, breaking down pollutants and organic matter to support soil regeneration. Outsect serves as an insect hatchery, coordinating the exchange of material through a system of mobile, mechanical agents responsible for transport, capture and dispersal.
Fungle Decomposition and Rebirth: roams the field to consume organic waste and decompose pollutants, forming a symbiotic cycle of nutrients that rejuvenates the soil for all synthetic nature
Together, these elements create a closed-loop system in which architectural elements facilitate cycles of growth, decay, and redistribution. The project frames architecture as an active participant in environmental processes, using synthetic mechanisms to construct an alternative ecological framework. Rock and Roll presents a model in which technological systems and biological processes are integrated into a single business landscape. The proposal reconsiders the role of architecture in post-industrial contexts, indicating a shift towards adaptive, process-driven environments that operate beyond conventional anthropocentric design.
masterplan: the ‘Infected’ Inglewood Oil Field: an axometric showing four specialized incubators, Manimal, Putant, Fungle and Outsect, deployed in a grid to reconstruct the site’s ecosystem
the Putant: a view inside the grow chamber where mutant plants grow and synthetic life is cultivated. the installation bridges the gap between mechanical and organic evolution
