A long pile of 43 large styrofoam blocks functions as the central hub for the 2015 Biennial of the Americas. The unfinished blocks are typically used as a substitute for soil fill for large landscape projects. For the biennial, they are arranged to accommodate different activities in different zones along the pile: a coffee bar, open and secluded seating, and bleachers for speaking events. The blocks are also reconfigured, sometimes hourly, to fit the biennial’s fluid programming. Between events, they’re used as casual furniture and a play structure. At the conclusion of the biennial, the styrofoam was returned to the manufacturer, who recycled 99% of it. Designed with Paul Preissner Architects.