BUCOLIC TURBULENCE | jet engine testing, maintenance, + boneyard
FALL 2015 | DEGREE/THESIS PROJECT STUDIO
Bucolic Turbulence is a jet engine testing and maintenance facility partially-embedded in an existing sound berm between runway 30R of Lambert St. Louis International Airport and a proposed engine boneyard. The project delicately balances the loud and turbulent atmosphere of testing a jet engine with the discrete and calm practice of maintaining these sophisticated pieces of machinery.
Four acoustically formed, concrete tubes inserted into the earth enclose the testing areas where ice, water, and birds can be projected into an engine. The concrete tubes rise from the earth to engage the delicate steel maintenance structure above and also provide a primary means for building systems integration. The steel structure is enveloped by a series of external ligatures that provide solar shading, visual security, and noise baffling.
Extending beyond the boundaries of the facility, a boneyard of decommissioned engines dissolve into the landscape. This boneyard offers a visceral experience to the public that engages the legacy of air travel within a field of filtered noise and audible conditions. The sound field offers a point of observation, reflection and physical engagement with the scale, sophistication and intricacy of these machines that allow quick and safe travel across the globe.
