In Peru, the the central Incan agricultural idea of “terrace” is hollowed out and sparsely refilled. The proposal creates a series of extended terrace walls where an occupant is always deciphering their position relative to the terrace(s): above, around, though, along, and between. A continuous ramp descends from the road and runs throughout the project, following runoff and supplying water to the terraces. The descent brings you in direct engagement with the walls of the terrace – sometimes free-standing but often an active retaining wall. The base of each terrace contains water storage and various program elements, allowing an occasional agricultural plot to act as a roof over a portion of the terrace. In this way, the Agricultural Center provides a living repository of traditional Incan farming technologies without parodying or disparaging traditional construction methods.
