We recently had the pleasure of reconnecting with Dominick Kasal, former long-time Synthesis team member and current Master of Architecture student in Germany, for a deep dive into his thesis project, MOSAIC: a powerful conceptual study in restoration, justice, and global collaboration through architecture.
Set in an abandoned pit mine in British Columbia, MOSAIC reframes the mine not as a forgotten scar on the land, but as an open wound in need of healing. Each participating nation is granted a plot within the site, where they plant and nurture a native forest species, using traditional ecological knowledge and forestry practices from their own culture.
At the heart of the project is the Court of the Living Earth, a series of experiential spaces where environmental accountability and reconciliation unfold. With each chapter of the court taking place in different zones of the pit, visitors are immersed in the physical and philosophical journey of restoration.
The three architectural interventions:
- AROUND: A circular, informal gathering space evoking the spirit of campfire dialogue.
- OUTLINE: A square, structured hall where solutions are proposed and agreed upon.
- ATONEMENT: A solemn and intentional space offering stark view corridors for reflection, accountability, and symbolic justice.
Guided by abstracted forest-like columns that grow denser as one approaches, the site becomes not only a restored landscape, but a living archive, a place that remembers its past while cultivating a shared future.
Thank you, Dominick, for sharing this meaningful and multidisciplinary vision with us. We’re inspired by your commitment to architectural healing, cultural integration, and ecological stewardship.
