ANIMALS at GereBlock
“Animals” is an exhibition of spatial installations hosted in The Gere Block, a historic factory in West Syracuse. This project offers an alternative approach to adaptive reuse in rust belt cities, where many industrial buildings have fallen into disuse. The Gere Block, once a warehouse along the Erie Canal and later a factory for fire trucks and paint, showcases layers of its history, from its limestone foundation to its weathered interiors.
The “animals” are mobile, utilitarian objects made from reclaimed on-site materials like shelves and wooden structures. Disassembled, cleaned, painted, and reassembled, these pieces reinterpret architectural elements such as platforms, walls, benches, pyramids, curtains, and columns. The interventions prioritize minimal impact on the building, fostering a flexible, temporary use during its renovation phase.
Designed for interaction, “animals” activate the factory space by enabling diverse uses, from small gatherings to performances. They encourage community participation in reimagining the building’s potential, bridging its storied past and possible futures. This exhibition demonstrates a cost-effective and inclusive model for engaging with underutilized industrial spaces, challenging conventional renovation practices while making these structures accessible to their communities.
Team group collective is:
Ayesha Ghosh
Edgar Rodriguez
Laura Salazar
Lauren Scott
Magdalena Valdevenito
Pablo Sequero
Rocio Crosetto
Juan Manuel Balsa
Small scale interventions in a historic building Adaptive reuse
Gere Block, Syracuse, NY, USA
Year
2024
Photography
Anna Morgovicz (Instagram: @annamorgovicz )
group collective (film photo)