Mola vol.2 by Craig McCracken

Y E A R 4 / A R 4 1 0 0 1 U R B A N T H E O R Y A N A LYS I S A N D S T R AT E GY

mola VO L . 2 C R A I G M C C R AC K E N

STUDIO C : CA L E D O N I A N D R E A M S

Contents 4

Introduction

Design Brief

Site

Logistics

Studies

Bigness and Uncritical Pulp Constructing a Cotton Condenser There’s a City Coming! Case Studies

Structure

Final Descent Airgap & Mesh Environmental Layering Spit Elevator TMD

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Programme

Early Visualisations

102

Final Development

162

Critical Reflection

174

Glossary

178

Programme Mapping Structure Overlay Human Exertion Service Routes Process Future Adaptability Fire

Site Operations Public Realm Context/Visual Technical Model Illustrations

Bibliography

2 3

Introduction As a continuation from volume 1, this journal will begin to focus in on one aspect of the previously established Mola Master-system. Panama City has tripled in size during the last 25 years as a result of rapid and unplanned urbanization from canal income. Its geographic location, combined with a lack of adequate land use planning, deficient drainage systems, and weak local governance, all make it a city highly exposed and vulnerable to the impact of floods and rising sea levels. By re-establishing an urban wetland in the suburb of Juan Diaz, flooding can be reduced and much needed public space acquired. The aim of Studio C is still to explore the unique interaction between operational landscapes and humans. Focussing in on the Vertical Farm fragment of the master-system gives an opportunity to redefine urban agriculture, a building which traditionally prioritises the output over the inhabitants. However, in line with the Studio ambitions, I can explore the exciting relationship people may have when interacting with such an object. Structure will play an important roll in efficiently building dense and skywards. Exploring the re-use of existing discarded structures will continue in this journal as an attempt at sustainability: avoiding single use. Programme will also be investigated to create an efficient logistical strategy new to existing urban agricultural settings. Automation in this sector could pose interesting precedents for future developments. Case studies will investigate theories and styles which can help me form a strong and informed concept for both programmatic and structural elements. I will then develop this conceptual design into sub-fragments to show a further depth of understanding with technical detailing and direct relationships with specific elements.

Design Brief

Clients Requirements (Minimum Areas for Profit)

As Mola begins to re-establish it’s urban wetland within Juan Diaz, Panama; an essential element to the puzzle belongs to the device which produces cotton. This valued resource will distribute to other facilities to complete the mola cycle. This device is in many ways a machine, one which occupies a public park. Novel ways for people and machine to interact will be essential in creating a successful building. Programme is of upmost importance within the cotton farm. Efficient production of cotton will lead to an overall more productive masterplan, making it the heart of the project and in turn, a beacon/ protector for Juan Diaz. Maximising floor space for growing and simplicity of service maintenance will keep the building running at all times. To help grow and understanding between park users and the buildings importance, people should be able to interact, view and enjoy the process, potentially even contribute to it in some way. This will inherently require some creative thinking as encouraged interactions between people and infrastructure are rare and often unexciting. As an organisation who wishes to promote reclaiming land for nature and reduce waste, the building should attempt to be sustainable where possible. To maximise wetland area, the building should also attempt to take up as little ground area as possible.

Cotton Farming - 5000m2 Pellet Processing - 200m2 Cotton Processing - 200m2 Water Storage - 300m2 Water Filtration - 30m2 Cotton Storage - 300m2 Seed Storage - 50m2 Chemical Storage - 25m2 Observation Deck - 200m2 Service chutes - ???m2

Architect’s Proposal Cotton Farming - 5580m2 Pellet Processing - 400m2 Cotton Processing - 300m2 Water Storage - 350m2 Water Filtration - 50m2 Rappel Platform - 25m2 Hydro Generator - 25m2 Water Filtration - 45m

Tuned Mass Damper - 100m2 Cotton Storage - 350m2 Seed Storage - 50m2 Chemical Storage - 25m2 Observation Deck - 300m2 Sever Room - 25m

Bar - 25m2 Toilets - 25m2 Service chutes - 0

Although it is clear from the clients requirements that the building is to fully focus on processing, I feel it is in fact beneficial to introduce people to the building. You can see that while meeting the targets for profitable returns, the proposed scheme uses what would inevitably be unused space for cotton (i.e the roof, in between floors and the external facade) as occupatile space for humans. Now why would we actually want people around the building? Not only does it give people the opportunity to see the process happening directly, gaining a new appreciation for Mola, but in-fact they can actively contribute to it’s sustainability and profit margins through buying drinks, coming to events and rappelling down the facade to generate electricity for lighting. It is also extending the garden landscape up and through the building instead of taking up quality public space which Juan Diaz requires so dearly.

Site Analysis

Fig.001: Surrounding Site Image Mapping

Fig.002: Surrounding Site Context

Juan Díaz is a south- eastern district of Panama City just under 20 km from the city old town. The area used to be the most inhabited in Panama with a population just over 100,000 as of 2010. This is a popular commuter settlement, having a good connections to the centre of Panama City; two main roads and a metro line that runs through the North of the district. As a result, here are many education institutions, two large medical complexes and a good commercial zone. The main river flowing towards the pacific ocean is “Rio Juan Diaz”. It cuts the district through the middle. There is also a rich Mangrove barrier between the urban and the sea which is protected by law and home to a diverse biosystem of fish, plants and birds. There is a relatively stable climate in this region, as with the rest of Panama. There is often cloud coverage and very humid conditions with predictable heavy rain most afternoons. From December to mid-March, the weather clears, with reduced rain and a temperature that goes from 18C to 27C; ideal for outdoor activities. However, the area suffers from a lack of usable outdoor public space. Infact, Panama City as a whole has limited space for pedestrians throughout the city. Cars dominate the street with it being the main mode of transport in the city, mainly due to the humid climate making it unconformable to walk and the city offering limited shading. Homes are typically very small and made using cheap materials such are corrugated sheets for roofing and concrete block walls. Some houses are vastly superior nearer the golf resort to the West with large gardens and high quality materials, giving a stark contrast in social class. Industrial and retail units which are scattered around the main roads tend to be very large portal frames with lots of parking. Very few people walk in Panama due to little protected public space and poor pavements.

Fig.003: Context Scales

Operational Zone

Fig.005: Potential Sites

Fig.004: Operational Zone

As is visible above, the area circled in red designates the land for Mola’s wetland intervention. We shall therefore be operating within this area. The ground will be marsh-like at best and flooded frequently as in line with the brief. Walkways will be the only practical way to transport people and cotton once operational. These may extend out in the future as seen. 12

5 sites have been allocated for infrastructure. 2 of which (5 and 1) are located on Mola Island which has been established during the Mola master planning phase (refer to Volume .1). This island is to be an attraction for the centre of the development making it a prime location if you wish for people to interact with the building. Plot 5 in red has already been allocated to the Recycling Centre and Processing area, leaving site 1 adjacent as the ideal candidate for the Mola Farm. 13

Fig.006: Horizontal Programme Area Diagram

Fig.007: Vertical Programme Area Diagram

Logistics When originally thinking about how to develop a vertical farm on site, problems arose with how to go upwardscheaply - this oxymoron is inherently difficult to solve. This is especially difficult when including attempts to leave as little carbon footprint as possible in a wet area. When cycling through Dundee, an area known for sea travel decommissioning, it struck me that oil rigs are in fact one of the most efficient structures for going upwards. They are also designed purely for wet environments. The logistics of how to actually utilise such a machine in a logical and meaningful way is something I will investigate in this section, along with tackling the question of ‘why’? Oil rigs have a very short life span for the shocking carbon footprint they produce. For years, oil companies have been trying to offset this through eco-investments/green bonds however, with oil prices continuing to fall off a cliff (fig. 00), this is becoming more and more difficult. With almost no positive value left (sometimes negative) in their rig assets not producing precious WTI crude oil, the Mola project gives hope for something positive to come of these rigs, potentially ending up in huge investments from these mega corporations into the Mola Mastersystem.

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The embodied carbon in these structures are astronomical. To offset this, even slightly, by lengthening the usage of these structures for a good cause would be a big step in the right direction. This concept, combined with fast fashion companies wanting to invest in more sustainable processes and offsetting their own footprint, may allow for a project like this to stay afloat. With Mola attempting to be the forefront of sustainable fashion, sponsored by large brands , combined with a hope for cleaner oceans, an oil-rig re-purposed at the heart of it’s wetland intervention may be the symbol it needs.

Fig.008: WTI Oil Price Graph Illustration

Oil Rigs typically have a life span of 15-30 years. Many of these decommissioned rigs end up sitting dormant, out-with legal jurisdiction, meaning they sit and rot in the ocean. Some large scale, immovable oil-rigs do show potential as an area for artificial coral reefs to form as hot springs often spout from previously drilled areas. This is still not a permanent solution.

Fig.009: Disused Oil-Rig Illustration

When oil-rigs do fall under territorial waters and are movable, they are usually forced to be decommissioned “properly”. Often this means they must prove to the country it is installed in that they are taking it to an established decommissioning company to be broken down which costs oil companies staggering amounts of money to do. However, after leaving the territorial waters, they are quickly diverted to the country with the lowest regulatory standards and in turn, the cheapest place to beach them. This means they can be scored off the asset sheet and a weight off these corporations shoulders, no longer their problem.

Fig.010: Beached Oil-Rig Illustration 18

When built, these oil-rigs have no plan for the future. Their after-life plan is not considered as it is not their problem. When beached, they are forgotten about. Then people, frequently children with no proper experience dealing with such machines, begin to break them down into scrap. Copper, is typically the most valued material along with sheet metal making the hull highly profitable and recyclable. The legs and mechanisms are usually left beached, not valuable even for the lowest of human rights to profit from. Once again left to rot, wasted.

Fig.011: Hauling Oil-Rig Illustration

As previously mentioned, these oil rigs are out of the hands of the big corporations, so to them it doesn’t matter what happens thereafter. The conditions of the workers here is truly terrible, using crude tools with zero protective equipment to make tuppence. By taking parts otherwise wasted from these oil companies, it may alleviate some strain on this vicious cycle and lead to proper disposal of the other parts.

Fig.012: Decommissioning Oil-Rig Illustration

Fig.013: Oil-Rig Typology Comparison

The heli-deck is cantilevered off the hull of the ship. The legs are positioned to support the point load of a helicopter out on this pad which delivers workers and resources to the rig during operation.

The top deck facilitates access to and from the heli-deck along with access to lift-rafts which are used in the event of a fire or storm leading to evacuation.

C-Deck hosts a large number of cabins for crew one the starboard side whilst having operational rooms such as offices and communication equipment to the port side.

B-deck again hosts workers cabins to the starboard side along with toilet and showering facilities, to the Port side is a gym and leisure complex for crew members off duty.

More cabins to the starboard side with WC and shower facilities. The Port side has some larger accommodation and meeting rooms. Fig.014: Jack-Up Rig Plan

The Jack-Up rig offers the most potential for adaption with it’s 3 legs to span between and ease of transportation. They are also frequently found around the Gulf of Mexico, close to Panama. The triangular shape is extremely strong, bracing against high winds with potential to cantilever out over the legs. The hull consists of sheet metal cladding and steel section skeleton. It has cranes and movable contraptions which could provide an oportunity for unique programme.

The A-deck houses the canteen and kitchen where breakfast-lunch and dinner is served along with communal toilets. The medical facility is also found on this floor next to some temporary rooms for on-call workers. 25

Fig.015: Jack-Up Rig Plan Decks

Jack-up rigs can reach heights of up to 160m above sea-bed level. They are a popular choice as they are self-manoeuvrable and lighter than many other types of rigs. They have the ability to float using their hull, dragged by tugs into position where they wish to drill before lowering the legs using powerful jacks, driving them into the seabed. Once finished operating, they can then be lifted and re-floated before being sent to another site or for decommissioning. Jack-up rigs like these which can float are referred to using marine terminology and therefore will frequently be done so in this journal. The bow is where the single left stands and the heli-deck cantilevers out from it. The stern is to the rear where the drill is situated while port and starboard are respectively left and right. After analysing a jack-up rig in detail, the parts least wanted by professional decommissioning firms are the legs, cranes and jack-up mechanisms, leaving the floating hull with it’s sheet metal and copper to be harvested. I will therefore salvage these unwanted parts and attempt to integrate them into the farm. Some steel sections such as the ones supporting the heli-deck cantilever and drilling station may also be salvageable depending on the arrangement met with the oil company.

Fig.016: Jack-Up Rig Elevation

Fig.017: Jack-Up Rig Global Location Map

As can be seen from the Jack-Up rig location Map (fig.017), most Jack-Up rigs are located around Asia, however others can be found closer to Panama such as in Eastern Latin America, the US Gulf of Mexico and off Mexico. To simplify the transportation process, we are going to source one of the Mexican Jack-Up rigs. However, this is not quite as simple as floating it to Panama city as it is on the wrong side of the isthmus. This will mean that the oil-rig will need to go from Colon to Panama City through the canal. The canal itself is only 55m wide while a standard jack-up rig is over 65m wide. (fig.018) Thankfully in colon there are huge cranes and some ship-maintenance companies to disassemble and lift off the necessary parts we wish to use; the legs, the mechanisms and the cranes. The Jack-Up rig hull can then continue North to the US where professional decommissioning companies will break down and recycle the remaining sheet metal, copper and steel skeleton.

Fig.018: Panama Canal Width Diagram

Second Deck

First Deck Elevation - Unloaded

Poopdeck

Plan - Unloaded

Fig.019: Panamax Contain Ship Drawings 1:1250

The largest ship to fit through the Panama Canal is a Panamax container ship as shown adjacent (Fig.019). After the appropriate parts have been salvaged from the Jack-Up rig, they will then be loaded onto one of these ships which as shown, can carry the 3 legs and disassembled cranes easily on deck, stacked in a pyramid. The jacking up mechanisms will be stored in approx. 4 containers.

Elevation - Loaded

As you can see, the load only takes up 20% of the loading capacity on the ship making it more profitable for any willing ship. As this is contributing at such an urban scale to the city of Panama, there may be opportunities to reduce the cost or seek grants to go through the canal as it is government funded.

Plan - Loaded

Fig.020: Panamax Contain Ship Loaded Example Model

Fig.022: Section Transport 1:250

Once arriving in Panama City, the leg carries on it’s tricky journey by road. It is cut into sections before being loaded onto a wide-load trailer bed HGV. Luckily the main road out of Panama City towards Juan Diaz is 3 lanes wide making the trip possible while keeping one lane open as is done with Wind Turbine blades here in Scotland. The site itself sit’s adjacent to the road making it very easy to load and unload the parts which will be re-assembled with welds and reinforcing plates to prepare it for use as a building structure.

Fig.021: Dock to Site Transport Route

The legs will be partially buried underground where they will connect with plates to a slab and pile foundation, similar to those found on skyscrapers. The land will then be backfilled before the rest of the leg modules are built up to full height, ready to receive it’s new programme.

A few weeks into this years semester I was asked;

“what i want to do....architecturally?” This question may seem ordinary for a tutor to ask, but for some reason this time, it hit differently. For the first time in my studies, I was intimidated by the prospect of creating an idea. My studio being the “Caledonian Dreamers” sought to investigate infrastructure with regards to architecture. An important topic in todays climate. Could my building have some architectural impact on this study topic? With so many possibilities going through my head about how to design within this newly emerging operational landscape, the thought of pinning it to one architectural style seemed impossible. Around the same time, I had received this lecture called “Differentiation - Capitalist Science, Gymnastics, “Phoney disorder”, Mickey Mouse and “Sublime uselessness”. A bit of a mouthful to say the least. But one which would lead me down a route, establishing rules for the project and guiding my hand right to the end. The lecture picks up after the peak-oil crisis, a time of world uncertainty and a period of architectural restlessness in the 1970’s. Architecture of the time is becoming a hyper-competitive market as predicted by Manfredo Tafuri; “And ominously present on the horizon is the worst of the evils: the decline of the architect’s ‘professional’ status and his introduction into programs where the ideological role of architecture is minimal.”

BIGNESS AND UNCRITICAL PULP

Rem Koolhaas’ embraced this uncertainty in the profession in his essay “Bigness” calling for pure uncritically. It was time for architecture to pass modernism and transition into something new. This resonated with me as there was a sort of crisis on the urban fabric, as infrastructure and automation begins to take over from architect’s designing for humans for the first time in history. How do I solve this in my project? Maybe what happened in the past could guide me now. Jacques Derrida claimed that were was no single absolute meaning in anything. To understand anything, we must first pull it apart into a set of ideas. Architecture sought to reconstruct these ideas in a new way, distant from the now past modernism. A chaotic skin began to appear dressed over a simple skeleton, not far from the domino which architecture wishes to so quickly escape from. Koolhaas criticised this calling it phoney, not a true embodiment of the idea it tried to represent. Another attempt at a break-away from modernism came from Robert Venturi’s inclusion of historic motifs in his architecture; what Tafuri would describe as “Mikey Mouse” architecture.

Lecture Reflection - Reclaiming Tectonics - A. Stoane

Fig.023: Robert Mouse

Robert Venturi tried to be ironic, using historic motifs literally, as an attempt at being artful and capture a new market, dodging architectural meaning due to political landscape change. Trying to be popular in when architectural critique was thought to be less needed. Koolhaas, after being critical of others attempts at sampling, tried to tackle the problem, instead taking literal references from modernism. 3 years before Pulp Fictions release, he mashed together (or pulped) 2 iconic modernist buildings together in Villa Dall’ava; Villa Savoye and the Barcelona Pavilion in an attempt to be uncritical. He used cheap materials and wonky pilasters in an ironic way distinguishing it from perfect modernism. Neoliberalism was once the driver for Rem Koolhaas to sample different architecture to solve a problem. The market is once again driving towards a new architecture, one of automation and de-humanist buildings on the urban periphery. Can I solve the problem of my own design using history as a guide?

Fig.024: Thoughtful Koolhaas illustration

I am proposing to mash together some relevant ideas from Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s Pompidou centre with regards to services and structure along side Rem Koolhaas’ approach to linear programme, drawing inspiration from the unbuilt projects; Parc de la Villette and Jussieu – Two Libraries. In the Pompidou, services are pushed to the outside of the building to maximise public space within, an extension of the square outside. I will take this concept but wrestle the idea into my brief; having people along side the services and structure, pushed to the outside of the building, valuing the process over all else. My 2nd ironic sweep will come from Rogers’ beautifully detailed, highly customized, one off, precision structural wonders - replaced with discarded, murky oil-rigs, bodged together. In the Pac de la Villette project, Rem highlighted that the brief was too large and would impact on the parks function, he instead proposed stacking some of the programme to create unique interactions and maximise the park space. This fits the theme of our wetland intervention; the more wetland, the more positive impact, therefore up is the answer. This combined with the Jussieu Libraries concept of a linear programme warped to facilitate cotton growth, attempts to optimise the process from traditional methods.

These ideas combined with other references may begin to answer some of the problems we face within operational landscapes as architects and guide and answer my tutor question of what I want to do architecturally.

Fig.025: Mola Pulp Collage

During the Humanities lecture series by Lorens Holms, I received a brief introduction into the unbuilt Parc de la Villette competition proposal by Rem Koolhaas. The lecture titled “Koolhaasm the Big Box projects, & a particularly ‘clinical’ relation to modernism” describes the project as one which tries to over-come an overly large brief to meet the site. The brief for the competition was to include gardens, sports facilities etc into the site. Koolhaas began by placing parts of the programme into 4 very broad categories and labelled them with colour. They were then laid in a long continuous strip logically, i.e football pitches next to changing facilities. The line was then cut and stacked across the site in horizontal bands. The programme was therefore like reading along a line of text, left to right, top to bottom. This would be the first time Koolhaas would describe a continuous flow of programme. These flowing bands offered logical programme interactions along a linear route but offered new and unexpected outcomes/relationships. L. Holms described this as a “montage device”. Koolhaas later in his career took this theory from the Parc de la Villette and applied it to “Big Box” style buildings, found in cities across the globe, namely Manhattan. He described vertical space above land as “vacant”, one which we should occupy. This is a theory that I have taken on into my project but tweaked slightly. As my own project is on a newly established urban wetland, maximising natural space is in itself a huge part of the programme. This means we should try to maximise it but building upwards, lessening the impact on this part of the programme. “What La Villette finally suggested was the pure exploitation of the metropolitan condition: density without architecture, a culture of “invisible” congestion.” - OMA

CONSTRUCTING A COTTON CONDENSER Lecture Reflection - Humanities - L. Holms

During research for this project, it became apparent that there was a surprising reliance in modern cities for external resources. This addiction to the drip feed of out sourced produce to maintain a steady platform did not seem sustainable with urban growth accelerating rapidly. The aim of this adjacent essay was produced to highlight the fragility of the city and its current system. Through a facetious video ‘Ramen Rampage’, which accompanies the essay, shows the chaos that could ensue when a “prized” resource, not produced locally’ is cut off. Although somewhat dramatized it highlights the city’s reliance on the external. A non-issue in a self-supporting city. This essay cemented the importance of quality design of self-supporting infrastructure in Panama City for myself and helped to push the Mola Farm project. You can watch the video and read the essay by scanning the QR code below or through the following link; https://issuu.com/craigmccracken/docs/ craig_mccracken_studio_c_dru_publication

Case Studies

As mentioned in the previous section “Bigness and Uncritucal Pulp”, I will be relying heavily on sampling existing architecture to form the Mola farm. Some of these buildings are displayed simply for their shape and how they over-come the inherent challenges of building with a triangular plan. Others will be purely based on the architectural theory they display which could be useful for what I wish to do. On first glance, buildings may seem an odd choice to research considering I am essentially building a machine. Although I have studied existing urban agriculture in depth such as; AeroFarms, RotterZwam, GrowUp Urban Farms and Foodfield in an attempt to optimise the process, I have instead found more inspiration from these buildings which more traditionally come under the title of architecture. Their unique approach to aspects of my own design have encompassed years of expertise and reasoning which is only appropriate to draw from.

Fig.026: Case Study Sampling Collage ----> 46

Structure

As mentioned in the introduction, I will be splitting the design process into two main parts. The first of these being Structure. Having never considered designing anything at this type of scale this seemed an intimidating task. Yet, from quality presidents and sketch ideas I have managed to produce some thoughts on how to make this building function appropriately. Building at this scale is the only viable way to ensure the brief is met whilst retaining the urban wetland intervention. One of the tricky parts of the design is working with an existing structure, against it’s intended purpose. This has required some custom parts which I have tried to refine throughout this volume. How the building is layered has also been interesting. With people and services on the exterior, I needed to think about a simple and repeatable way to layer these devices while retaining their structural rigidity. I sought much inspiration from Roger Stirk and Harbour projects with their experience working on large scale projects like these and boutique fittings. All of these elements should combine to make the Programme section of the journal smooth.

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Some of the environmental strategies will also come under this section as it influences how the structure is made up, including the weak-point central void discovered when analysing the Commerzbank building by Norman Foster. By taking advantage of Panama’s ideal cotton growing climate, I will need to think of a unique way to clad the building, protecting the cotton but giving them an outdoor feel. This ties in nicely with how an oil-rig structure would traditionally operate.

Fig.027: Self Scaffolding Diagram

By salvaging some of the oil-rig cranes and mechanisms which jack up the huge platform at sea, I have the opportunity to use these in the construction process. The idea comes from the jack-up rigs ability to self assemble at the drilling site. When the legs have arrived on site and been erected, the ground floor structure can be constructed with the jacks built in to support the weight of the water storage floor when in operation. During construction this can then be lifted to the top floor along with workers and required materials, with the assistance of the cranes. This is essentially a self-scaffold. Each floor can be constructed before the scaffolding moves down to the next floor until finally reaching the base where it will be situated permanently. This will also eliminated the need for traditional scaffolding which would be tricky to erect on such a wet site.

Fig.028: Air-gap Diagram

One of the reasons a jack-up rig seems to defy gravity by lifting a a population the size of a small village to a height of 120 meters is mainly down to it’s small facade wind-load. The air gaps above and below the hull left wind pass through most of the elevation meaning lateral loads can be 80% lower that a similarly sized building. Luckily, with the purpose of this building being a cotton farm and Panama being an ideal climate for growing them, the cladding itself can be porous and allow air to pass through, the climate inside matching the climate outside and soaking up natural sun rays, supplemented by artificial LED tube lights. By using a tight mesh, the cladding area can be reduced by up to 50%. This combined with reinforcing the legs with bracing will help to ensure structural rigidity. The porous cladding, preferably made from recyclable aluminium, will allow plant life to grow up from the wetland, softening the high-tech building. This porosity will allow the building at night to become a lantern for the park as the purple UV hue emits from it.

Fig.029: Mesh Concept Diagram 60

Fig.030: Wind Flow Diagram

Fig.032: Central Void Ventilation Strategy

Fig.031: Sun Path Diagram

Fig.033: Central Void Sketch Section

Machine Acoustics Environmental Noise - As the building is so tall, there is potential for high winds to cause the building to make tremendous noise. As the bow of the farm points into the wind to reduce structural loading, the winds wrap around the building due to the laminar flow mechanic. This acts like a plane wing or a sail where wind accelerates to fill low pressure to the stern of the building; in turn causing vibrations which could lead to an annoying thrum around the wetland. To combat this, I have researched vortex generators; these are points which create drag, causing the wind speed to slow and stick closer to the surface of the material and in doing so prevents vibrations. The perforated sheet cladding will essentially act the same way a golf ball does, creating microvortexes. This combined with the exposed structure and stairs will help reduce speeds further. At the bow of the farm, the “spit-elevator” acts as a serrated leading edge, similar to predatory birds which require silent flight. The trailing edges to the stern will have a slight saw tooth effect from the mesh also.

Fig.037: Wind Turbulence Diagram Fig.035: Golf Ball Vortex Generators

Fig.034: Owl - Biomimetics of Silent Flight

Mechanical Noise - Another aspect of the building which could produce unwanted noise is from the process itself. To reduce this, building tolerances will be very tight. All wind loaded components will be held in tension and can be easily tightened in the event of slackening. Connections where two metal surfaces meet, such as with stairs or the adjacent cladding will use rubber dampeners between to soften any vibrations. The cladding itself will be power coated, a tough coating which will increase drag slightly. All machinery such as the chain driven conveyor system will be self lubricating with easily accessible greasing ports. Cotton is in fact the best natural sound absorbing material you can find, this will help to soak up any residual noise before it emanates out into the wetland.

Fig.036: Sound Dampening Example - Cladding 64

Fig.038: Sun-Shade Plan

Fig.040: Cross Bracing Stand-off Sketch

Fig.039: Structural Layering Plan 66

Fig.044: Spit Elevator Structural Concepts

Fig.041: Tallest Elevator in the world

Fig.042: Building Marine Terminology Diagram

Fig.043: Spit Elevator Location

Fig.045: View from Mid-level Void Catwalk up at TMD

Programme

The 2nd part of the design process was to refine the programme now that some rules around structure has been established. I began this stage by breaking down the functions into sectors before mapping relationships between each node. This was then overlaid onto the structure to investigate some of the interactions. Inspiration has been drawn from the Jussieu library project by Rem Koolhaas for it’s programmatic concept. By adopting similar ideas and implementing them onto my own design, I have come up with an automated linear growth conveyor up the building for the cotton production. I have also sampled ideas from the Centre Pompidou with it’s external services, maximising interior programme.

Fig.046: Process Mapping Fig.047: Vertical Process Mapping 74

After working out roughly what was needed, I began mapping these out over a simple structural grid (Fig. 048). I then continued to develop more and more detailed versions of this. You can see that the Public realm extends vertically from the wetland, recurring on both the mid-level and top-level. Operations, Storage and Water have all been placed low to reduce structural strain as they are high-weight programmes. This also gives easier access for maintenance and distribution. We also take advantage of gravity sending the fresh cotton down to store without mechanical means and water can flow freely from top to bottom. The farms are split by the public Mid-floor which gives the option to produce something other than cotton in the future. I unwrapped the buildings elevations to show the continuous programme of the farm and it’s stages along the linear plane. The route paths are also diagrammed to show how they change depending on the activity. Services to accompany the programme are then mapped over-top. All of which are kept to the exterior.

Fig.048: Programme Structure Overlay 1 76

Fig.049: Programme Structure Overlay 2 78

Fig.050: Programme Structure Overlay 3 79

Fig.052: Building Height Comparison

Fig.051: Exertion Diagram

Fig.053: The Creation of Autonomy by Ian Fowlds

As all well-oiled machines, everything should have a reason to be there, otherwise, is it really a machine or mere decoration? People in that case, must provide for the building and it’s operation. When reaching the top of the building, there will be a rappelling station where people can use their mass to turn a pully which generates electricity, powering a pump which forces water to the top where it will be stored as potential energy. A kinetic battery similar to the hypothesised ‘concrete battery’ of the future. A dam-building.

Fig.054: Public Contribution - Rappelling

Fig.055: Cotton Process Early Concept Diagram 88

Future Adaptability The future of this farm is one which will have a close relationship to the ‘Mola-System’. As Mola expands, it has the potential to develop more infrastructure across the site, replicating the same ideas produced during this project. I have kept the design as modular as possible, requiring only simple tools to fix the machine, making it very easy to swap parts in and out keeping the cycle going. Large objects can also be replaced using the permanent cranes left from the construction period. One of the great parts of this agricultural design is it’s adaptability, both in quantity of output and the product grown. By reducing the number of stacks on the conveyor system at any one time, the correct quantity of cotton can be produced to meet demands by the rest of the Mola system. The type of seed can also be changed to produce food such as lettuce, tomatoes, kale, peas, melons and kiwi’s, the only changes required being the type of harvesting shears, tweaks to the data analytic/water cycles and a bypass around the processing floor. A single vertical farm has the potential to produce a similar quantity of food to an equivalent 20 acre farm.

Fig.056: Pandemic Food Imports/Exports Visualisation

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, this is important now more than ever. Panama America published an article on how COVID-19 will disrupt the food supply and potentially cause global food shortages. They stated, “There is no global food shortage or mass famine from the pandemic, yet. But logistics problems in planting, harvesting, and transporting food will leave poor countries unprotected in the coming months, especially those dependent on imports.” Panama currently relies almost solely on imports, making the flexibility of this farm extremely important.

Fig.057: Stacks adapted to accommodate lettuce

Fig.058: Top Deck Fire Escape Route

Fig.059: Mid Deck Fire Escape Route 92

Early Visualisations

Once the outline structure and simple programme where established, I could begin to visualise what the building may begin to look like. Here (Fig. 051), I have sketched the building with it’s link to the surrounding walkways and wetland. It stands tall above the surroundings but actively contributes to it’s surroundings. The mid-floor garden extension of the landscape below can be visible in this sketch.

Fig.060: Early Sketch Visualisation 96

I once again attempted to visualise what the building might become. This time I used a simple palette of geometric shapes and painted over the structural legs. The buzz of the building as people scale the outside is exciting. The interaction between the layers of structure and the services begins to come alive. The extension of the landscape below up through the building, wether it be climbing the cladding or in the mid-floor garden. The mega-bracing locking it all together. This steel monolith has softened in a way from the greenery, yet it is still a machine.

Fig.061: Mola Farm Geometric Illustration

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Fig.062: Mid-Level Catwalk, Public Realm Visualisation

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Fig.063: Site Masterplan @ 1:2500

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The tremendous scale of this 120m structure is best seen in these site sections, above being 1:2500 and below 1:1250. Above you can see the split between the existing suburban life and proposed wetland. The boundary being defined by the mound at each end retaining the water. Houses and industrial units of the Juan Diaz area are only 1-2 stories tall. The main road to the left provides a well used route into the city centre. In the section below you can see some of the relationships between the walkways, the mangroves and the farm.

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Fig.064: Elevation 1:500

Fig.065: Elevation Parts 1:250

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Fig.066: Section 1:500

Fig.067: Section Parts 1:250

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Fig.068: Stair Connection Render

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Fig.069: Spit Elevator 146

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Fig.070:Site Model Photograph 1

Fig.071:Site Model Photograph 2 152

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Fig.072:Site Model Photograph 3 154

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Fig.073:Site Model Photograph 4 156

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Fig.074:Site Model Photograph Night 158

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Critical Reflection 162

Fig.075: Operational Landscapes - Yorgos Berdos

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Fig.076: Panama City Flooding Collage

Fig.077: Juan Diaz Flooding Map

Fig.078: Mola Master-System Mapping 164

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Fig.079: Programme Layout Diagram

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Fig.080: Jack-up Oil-Rig Elevation

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Fig.081: Pulp Collage 169

Fig.082: Site Model

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Glossary Craig McCracken

@cmcc_arch

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Fig.001: Surrounding Site Image Mapping

Fig.002: Surrounding Site Context

Fig.003: Context Scales

Fig.004: Operational Zone

Fig.005: Potential Sites

Fig.006: Horizontal Programme Area Diagram

Fig.007: Vertical Programme Area Diagram

Fig.008: WTI Oil Price Graph Illustration

Fig.009: Disused Oil-Rig Illustration

Fig.010: Beached Oil-Rig Illustration

Fig.011: Hauling Oil-Rig Illustration

Fig.012: Decommissioning Oil-Rig Illustration

Fig.013: Oil-Rig Typology Comparison

Fig.014: Jack-Up Rig Plan

Fig.015: Jack-Up Rig Plan Decks

Fig.016: Jack-Up Rig Elevation

Fig.017: Jack-Up Rig Global Location Map

Fig.019: Panamax Contain Ship Drawings 1:1250

Fig.020: Panamax Contain Ship Loaded Example Model

Fig.021: Dock to Site Transport Route

Fig.022: Section Transport 1:250

Fig.023: Robert Mouse

Fig.024: Thoughtful Koolhaas illustration

Fig.025: Mola Pulp Collage

Fig.026: Case Study Sampling Collage ---->

Fig.027: Self Scaffolding Diagram

Fig.028: Air-gap Diagram

Fig.029: Mesh Concept Diagram

Fig.031: Sun Path Diagram

Fig.030: Wind Flow Diagram

Fig.033: Central Void Sketch Section

Fig.032: Central Void Ventilation Strategy

Fig.035: Golf Ball Vortex Generators

Fig.034: Owl - Biomimetics of Silent Flight

Fig.036: Sound Dampening Example - Cladding

Fig.037: Wind Turbulence Diagram

Fig.038: Sun-Shade Plan

Fig.039: Structural Layering Plan

Fig.040: Cross Bracing Stand-off Sketch

Fig.043: Spit Elevator Location

Fig.042: Building Marine Terminology Diagram

Fig.041: Tallest Elevator in the world

Fig.044: Spit Elevator Structural Concepts

Fig.045: View from Mid-level Void Catwalk up at TMD

Fig.046: Process Mapping

Fig.047: Vertical Process Mapping

Fig.051: Exertion Diagram

Fig.052: Building Height Comparison

Fig.053: The Creation of Autonomy by Ian Fowlds

Fig.054: Public Contribution - Rappelling

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Fig.056: Pandemic Food Imports/Exports Visualisation

Fig.057: Stacks adapted to accommodate lettuce

Fig.058: Top Deck Fire Escape Route

Fig.059: Mid Deck Fire Escape Route

Fig.060: Early Sketch Visualisation

Fig.061: Mola Farm Geometric Illustration

Fig.062: Mid-Level Catwalk, Public Realm Visualisation

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Fig.063: Site Masterplan @ 1:2500

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Fig.069: Spit Elevator

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Fig.070:Site Model Photograph 1

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Fig.071:Site Model Photograph 2

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Fig.072:Site Model Photograph 3

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Fig.073:Site Model Photograph 4

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Fig.075: Operational Landscapes - Yorgos Berdos

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Fig.077: Juan Diaz Flooding Map

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Fig.076: Panama City Flooding Collage

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Fig.078: Mola Master-System Mapping

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Fig.079: Programme Layout Diagram

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Fig.080: Jack-up Oil-Rig Elevation

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Fig.081: Pulp Collage

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Fig.082: Site Model

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Bibliography Web Pages -

Wang, Yong; Zhao, Kun; Lu, Xiang-Yu; Song, Yu-Bao; Bennett, Gareth J. 2019. “Bio-Inspired Aerodynamic Noise Control: A Bibliographic Review”

Geography of Panama, Wiki, (accessed last – 11/11/2020)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Panama Expo 2000, MVRDV, (accessed last – 20/04/2020)- https://www.mvrdv.nl/projects/158/expo-2000

Teruna, C., F. Manegar, F. Avallone, D. Ragni, D. Casalino, and T. Carolus. “Noise Reduction Mechanisms of an Open-Cell Metal-Foam Trailing Edge.” Journal of Fluid Mechanics 898 (2020): A18.

Environmental Issues in Panama, Anywhere Panama, (accessed last – 11/12/2020) - https://www.anywhere.com/ panama/travel-guide/environmental-issues Additional Reading – Practice, RSH+P, (accessed last – 26/04/2021) - https://www.rsh-p.com/practice/constitution/ Koolhaus, Rem, Delirious New York, The Monacelli Press (1978) Richard Rogers Dezeen Interview, Vimeo, (accessed last – 26/04/2021) - https://vimeo.com/search?q=richard%20 rogers%20dezeen

Koolhaas, Rem, and Bruce Mau. S, M, L, XL. New York: Monacelli Press. (1998)

I f p r i . O r g ( a c c e s s e d l a s t - 2 8 / 0 4 / 2 0 2 1 ) - h t t p s : // w w w . i f p r i . o r g /n e w s - r e l e a s e / global-food-shortage-worsens-due-pandemic%C2%A0-panama-america%C2%A0 Areospaceweb.org (accessed last - 30/04/2021) -http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/ q0228.shtml

Books/ Journals/ Papers M. Tafuri, B. Luigia La Penta (Translator), Architecture and Utopia: Design and Capitalist Development, Massachusetts, MIT Press, (1976), pp. 176-178. Butler, C, Henri Lefebvre, Spatial Politics, Everyday Life and the Right to the City, GlassHouse (2015) Weinstock, Michael, System City: Infrastructure and the Space of Flows, Architecture Design (2013) Holm, L., Humanities. Lectures 12-21 (2021) Stoane, A., Reclaiming Tectonics Lecture Series. Lectures 1-6 (2021) Davies, Colin., and Ian. Lambot, Commerzbank Frankfurt : Prototype for an Ecological High-Rise, Haselmere: Water-mark; Basel: Birkhauser, (1997) Piano, Renzo, Richard Rogers, and Lia Piano, Centre Pompidou : Piano + Rogers, Genoa: Fondazione Renzo Piano, (2017) Dickhoff, Wilfried., and Kasper. König, In Between : the Art Project of EXPO 2000, Cologne: Dumont, (2000) Berdos, Yorgos, Brief - Studio C: Caledonian Dreams, (2020) Giedion, Siegfried, Mechanization Takes Command, Oxford University Press (1970) McCracken, Craig, Mola vol.1 Dundee: University of Dundee (2020)

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