The project attempts to “make kin” and achieve human-animal reciprocity by re-arranging the exploitation of blood from Atlantic horseshoe crabs within the context of Cape May in New Jersey, USA. Due to the unparalleled biomedical value, the horseshoe crabs have been drained on a massive scale and their blue blood has become an indispensable raw material in pharmaceutical manufacturing for the past 40 years. Although this humanity’s macabre activity has caused a significant decrease in the number of these ancient creatures and severely inflicts the entire coastal ecosystem around Delaware Bay, modern society has to keep such an act continue to operate in order to avoid the collapse of the fundamental medical service.

NEXUS is about altering this “necessary evil” of the blue-blood industry into an inclusive horseshoe crab research and educational institute/cosmos, cultivating new patterns of intimacy by turning anthropocentric apathy into symbiotic empathy.

The project performs what commonly happened behind the scenes to the front of the stage, inviting the public to participate and creating a series of individualised experiences. Participants will accompany their selected horseshoe crab throughout the whole process, from the first encounter to the farewell return. The building eventually functions as a distinctive journey that transcends mere exploitation, speculation, and utilitarian thinking. It creates a hybrid space, for both them and us.

Course Final Architecture Project

Course Coordinator Urs Bette

Studio ST07 Human/nonhuman Cohabitation

Studio Instructor Urs Bette