Inspired by the Manitoba grasslands, Prairieum plays with spatial imagination by displacing a grain hopper from the Manitoba farms to the heart of downtown. Prairieum celebrates Manitoba’s agricultural history and invites contemplation by providing a quiet space that celebrates the garden both physically and metaphorically. Built between the Manitoba Theatre for Young People and the Forks Parkade, Prairieum transforms a courtyard into a space where nature and people can be as one.

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A 16-foot grain hopper which comes in two parts encloses the grassy area of the site, with a cargo mesh canopy draped atop providing sanctuary and a place to hang wildflower seed ponds. These ponds will bloom, providing further coverage and an insight into the process of life. As you enter Prairieum, you  are invited to sit on the hammocks built into the hopper and to explore the enclosed area where a burst of flower ponds is revealed. The split hopper will direct water like a funnel to the focal point of the sanctuary which includes wild grasses that will grow along the wall creating a shrine of life.

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Prairieum engages the public space with  Its quiet mystery. People are invited to explore what lies under the canopy and encouraged to slow down and connect to their surroundings.