INFRASTRUCTURE AS A PARADIGM FOR DEVELOPMENT Restructuring a Dry Torrent as a Multifunctional Infrastructural Landscape in Moatize CLARA MEDINA G
Advanced Master in Human Settlements (MaHS) | KU Leuven | Spring 2018 Landscape Urbanism / Water Urbanism Mozambique Studio and Master Thesis Design proposal Promotors: Prof. Dr. Bruno De Meulder, Eliana Rosa de Queiroz Barbosa and Wim Wambecq
Restructuring a Dr y Torrent Landscape IN MOATIZE, MO | 2018 ZAMBEZI BASIN | Framing the transect MOZAMBIQUE | Framing the Zambeze Basin as a Multifunctional Infrastructural Notational map showing: - Cetralized electricity grid ( lines)
Big scale plans for exploitation of natural resources: S2 Landscape Urbanism Studio proposal and Advanced Master Thesis | -KU Leuven
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water supply and sanitation in moatize
energy generation and supply in moatize
the zambezi basin | framing the transect (
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EXISTING WATER AND ELECTRICITY CENTRALIZED INFRASTRUCTURES Cahora Bassa Dam Electricity grid BIG SCALE PLANS FOR EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES New dams in the Zambeze River Planned electricity grid extension Micro-hydropower dams in tributaries Mining concession areas
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2 | Restructuring a Dry Torrent as a Multifunctional Infrastructural Landscape in Moatize
100Km
200Km
300Km
................................................ MOATIZE SQUARE
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.......................................... FIELD WORK ANALYSIS
This urbanism and water management design proposal has been developed under the umbrella of the Landscape Urbanism Mozambique Studio of the Advanced Master in Human Settlements at KU Leuven. The proposal is complemented by the Master Thesis dissertation, elaborating on the general development, technological and planning principles and references that support the proposal. Together, these documents translate field work research in the Zambezi Basin, general Landscape Urbanism and Water Urbanism principles and successful study cases into a strategic design proposal in the outskirts of Moatize to be able to tackle the pressing challenges posed by climate change, urban development and population growth. Riverscapes in semi-arid regions are amongst the earth’s most vulnerable territories with regards to climate change, threatening water and food security, human settlements and transport. The studio work focused on the challenges of the 300Km 600Km 900Km Zambezi Basin in Mozambique. In this specific context, the local population, that lives primarily and directly from their land, is most vulnerable to the alterations to the landscape caused by population growth, dams and coal mining. The challenge undertaken as part of this studio was to design proposals in the field of water and forest urbanisms and to envision new infrastructural typologies to trigger debate on an alternative development paradigm for the Zambezi Basin. First, visions in a span of 50 years were developed at the regional scale (Studio work) and Moatize’s local scale (group work). To elaborate on the implementation of the visions, strategic projects were identified and further detailed at a strategic scale.
.......................................... THE ZAMBEZI BASIN
- New dams in the Zambeze (squares) - Micro-hidro power in Zambeze tributaries (dots) - Mining concession area (pattern)
NATURAL EROSION AND LAND MANIPULATION IN MOATIZE
.................................................................... STUDIO’S VISION AND LOCATION OF STRATEGIC PROJECT
The proposal is inspired by the natural green creeks
CURRENT STATE OF THE DRY TORRENT TO BE RESTRUCTURED
Unstructured current state of depression area
Cattle reaching the depression area for water and grass
METHODOLOGY IN THE STUDIO Research started with the review of scientific literature and reports on the pressing issues to be addressed in the Zambezi region in relation with climate change, water scarcity and economic and urban developments. The theory was then contrasted with on-site research carried out during a two-week trip to the Tete region in February 2018. The field work included visits, walks, investigations and interviews with local population and local stakeholders such as university professors, activists and municipal architects and city planners to understand the challenges, risks and opportunities of the area, focusing on water as the guiding theme. Site research was carried out divided into 4 groups focusing on interest areas of 5x5Kms, being one of these areas the outskirts of Moatize where this proposal is set. The main focus was to understand the dichotomies of dry and wet seasons, the urban and the rural environments and the endogenous and exogenous activities and actors exploiting natural resources. The trip ended with a workshop where the four groups could share and discuss the preliminary conclusions and starting points for further research and propositions with local stakeholders. Design research experimentation was based on models at multiple scales. The regional vision was developed for the transect (1:25.000), while strategic visions for the 5x5Km areas were designed in teams (1:5.000). Finally, individual strategic design proposals (1:500) were elaborated to illustrate how the general visions could be translated into specific and feasible action, supported by the research and elaboration of the Master Thesis dissertation.
1:25.000 Model developed by the whole Studio showing the general vision for the Zambeze Basin to intensify the landscape and increase resilience against climate change and growth.
Design proposal | 3
.......................................................................................................................... GROUP’S VISION FOR MOATIZE
FRAMING MOATIZE, THE COAL MINING TOWN The arrival of large scale open pit coal mining started affecting the climatic balance, destroying the landscape in the surroundings and worsening water scarcity in the area. The endemic forest landscape is transforming into a hot, dry and dusty settlement, mainly due to the removal of green cover as mining and urbanization advance. Due to these processes, erosion is a major problem that is even aggravated by the effects of the semi-arid climate of the region, with very intense rainfall alternated by acute droughts. Fast and uncontrolled flow of flush rains on the unprotected slopes intensifies erosion and keeps increasing risks of floods and landslides for settlements. In the meantime, population on the plateau keeps being isolated from the forest and the natural resources used for traditional subsistence economies and natural corridors that allow the forest to survive are being broken. GROUP’S MAIN STRATEGY FOR MOATIZE Mining and other exploitations of natural resources should be addressed with a new approach that can serve the needs of the local population while making the landscape more productive and resilient to future challenges. To achieve this, our projects propose alternative models that use landscape features and ecosystem services. These are the frameworks that enable the dichotomies present on the territory to work together (wet and dry, rural and urban, exogenous and endogenous). As a result, the dependency on exogenous forces that impose a western model of development will be decreased. APPROACH TO THE STRATEGIC PROJECT The seasonal creeks that stand out as green cores and natural collectors of water in the territory are envisioned as strategic elements to implement the new model. Their redefinition brings indeed opportunities to protect the urban tissue against natural hazards, to implement more resilient water management, to intensify local resources. Focusing on the edge area of the grid pattern imposed on the plateau, it is possible to bring back natural resources by enhancing the natural elements that have been ignored and diffused.
1:5000 model of the integrated vision for Moatize enhancing the natural water networks as framework for development
4 | Restructuring a Dry Torrent as a Multifunctional Infrastructural Landscape in Moatize
............................................................................................................................ STRATEGIC PROJECT PROPOSAL
INTEGRATED WATER CYCLE MANAGEMENT The first challenge is to implement an integrated water cycle management that can fight the destructive effects of flush rains while allowing a more extended and efficient use of water along the year. First, meandering water courses carved in the depression area together with the rocky cover of the torrent beds slow down the flow and increase percolation. Furthermore, rocky water infiltration basins are incorporated in the turns and are clay waterproofed where various courses meet so that water can be retained under the surface and used after the rains. In addition, within the integrated water management system, water purification landscapes that replicate natural processes are designed next to the residential plots to take advantage of wastewater as a continuous source of water along the year. This water irrigates agricultural and grasslands towards the creek and can be further collected and reused by industries down the course. A MULTIFUNCTIONAL INFRASTRUCTURAL LANDSCAPE The whole area is conceived as part of a social infrastructure: an experimental permaculture research centre for learning and exchange to upgrade traditional agricultural practices with permaculture and water management techniques. This way, urbanization is prevented in the vulnerable area while productive lands and innovative infrastructures are brought closer to the settlements.
Picture by the author from group model by (Nathan De Feyter, Clara Medina, Nadia Nusrat & Julia Paiva)
MAIN STRATEGY OF THE STRATEGIC PROJECT The strategic project is located on a depression in one of the in-between areas identified in our fieldwork, where the grid streets from the barren resettlement dissolve and gated plots are scattered in the former forest. The project illustrates our strategy to restructure the network of seasonal creeks as multifunctional infrastructural landscapes. As such, they can help implementing an integrated water cycle management, reactivate the landscape and increase socio-economic and environmental resilience of the area. The aim of this proposal is to turn vulnerabilities and challenges into opportunities turning the seasonal creek into a continuous green corridor for innovation and exchange through agricultural experimentation and the starting point for a wave of further implementing learned technologies in the semi-urban tissue.
FURTHER VISION In conclusion, not only do these strategies bring back natural resources for economic activity in the grid area, but they also tackle the lack of basic infrastructures and trigger a process of renaturalization of the urban area as neighbours appropriate and implement them in the surrounding settlements.
Design Proposal | 5
THE CREEK AS A TRANSITIONAL LANDSCAPE Along the creek, a dynamic series of flooding crop and grasslands and higher paths reconnect patches of the natural forest that had been isolated. Here, different flooding stages allow or impede livestock access depending on the time of the year, so the landscape can regenerate before animals can reach it, increasing their opportunities for survival in the dry season.
A SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE VULNERABLE AREA The depression area is reshaped with safe islands between creeks and the gradually flooding banks are terraced applying the local knowledge of clay soil cutting with stabilizing brick walls. This area has the potential to become a communal space for innovation and exchange through agricultural experimentation and may become the starting point for a wave of further implementation of learned technologies in the surrounding semi-urban tissue.
Water storage
Pilot houses
Water inďŹ ltration
Microtopography with agricultural terraces
1:1000 Concept model showing the different humidity and flooding stages of the depression area and grasslands and paths along the seasonal creek.
6 | Restructuring a Dry Torrent as a Multifunctional Infrastructural Landscape in Moatize
Urban tissue
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Natural forest can reconquer the creek
Flooding grasslands for cattle and agriculture
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Industries can reuse water
Houses feeding with wastewater
Implementation of technologies
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Shadow trees create cattle paths
RESEARCH CENTRE AND NURSERY
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Water can be stored in meander areas
TOWARDS A MODEL OF CIRCULAR ECONOMY The diversity and interconnection of different economic activities along the corridor allows new synergies and the implementation of circular economy mechanisms. For instance, biodigestors are conceived in the productive area to turn the great amount of biomass and organic waste generated by agriculture, grasslands, livestock and residential and industrial plots into biogas for cooking and fertilizer for the surrounding crops.
(Pictures by the author from individual models by the author)
RESTRUCTURING THE SEASONAL CREEK WOULD BECOME THE STARTING POINT FOR A WAVE OF FURTHER IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER MANAGEMENT AND RENATURALIZATION TECHNIQUES IN THE SURROUNDING URBAN TISSUE
1:500 Detail Model showing topographic interventions carried out to redefine the space in the basin area enhancing water courses, intermediate islands, controlled flooding areas and terraced slopes. In this frame, bigger scale water retention, infiltration and purifying systems are introduced to allow an integrated water cycle management and are combined with low-tech individual and/or collective infrastructure for water and waste management. Different economic activities meet along the water course with the opportunity to benefit one from the other.
Design Proposal | 7