GROUND TO GRAIN PROJECT

by Rebecca Weller

This project follows principles of a circular economy. Employing local unemployed and homeless people, the idea is to repurpose spent coffee ground from nearby coffee shops. Then, using a refinery, turn them into coffee flour, which then be combined with regular flour and used to bake bread to send back to the coffee shops. The coffee grounds are also used the grow mushrooms on the layered ‘mushroom garden’ on the roof of the building. These mushrooms also form part of the fabric of the building; mycelium (mushroom root) panels are used for the outer skin. Corten steel is used to mirror the abundance of redbrick buildings next to the site. The project aims to be highly atmospheric and reveal processes occurring inside; a visitor will feel heat from the refinery, smell baking bread, see puffs of white flour from the mill and view pink oyster mushrooms from the street.