By recognizing that we are undergoing another mass extinction, the program of the project was divided into an ephemeral, and permanent space. The Tower which houses the dinosaur fossils and is topped with a seed and embryo vault containing integral species to our ecosystem are lifted on stilts above the ground as a response to bradyseism as well as minimizing its footprint in the nature reserve. The ephemeral program which consists of the amphitheater, cafe, bookshop, and a “geology shell” revealing the unique geological characteristics of the Astroni crater, are volcanic stone compression shells that are dry stacked and can be disassembled in the future; much like the Trulli houses of Puglia. 

The tower’s skin becomes an ecosystem allowing birds to inhabit the openings, as well as microorganisms living and thriving on the bumpy cork facade. The vault, which is the only climate controlled space, is powered by harnessing the energy of the magma that is close to the surface using a geothermal system. Ephemeral permanence exhibits a symbiotic relationship with the Astroni reserve encouraging us to reevaluate our relationship to ecology.