PlastiCity Thesis Proposal
PlastiCity a solution to sea-plastic waste through the use of innovative technologies and infrastructure Import plastic pollution Feed plastic to fungi Regenerate docks
COLLECTING PLASTIC
The Ocean Cleanup - Plastic collector
et and oom concept Platform section Section Solar panel energy platform Mesh conveyor channels plastic to tank
Deck for packaged containers to be exported
Plastic Organism Microplastics are concetrated at lower water levels
Plan Mooring lines anchoring the platform
The Ocean Cleanup Array utilises long angle - capture and concentrate the plastic, making mechanical extraction possible. One of the main advantages of this passive cleanup concept is that it is scalable. Using the natural circulation period of the plastic gyres, cleanup duration could be reduced to a minimum of just 5 years.
Mooring lines anchoring the platform
Battery compartment
Ballast
ividing the boom Plastic collecting boom perspective Boom segments ength air chamber
egmen ted inner tube (
Overtopping
3m
Gap between air chambers .25m
u oyancy
1.5m)
on-permeable skirt (Total draft 3m)
(
drag ind)
G ravity allast ( e.g. sand)
Bridging
drag waves)
Cables connecting boom and load carrying
(Current
oad carrying cable (e.g. U P or steel)
boom in the top image, the boom can follow the shape of the wave, but in the bottom image, the tension force spans the boom in such a way that it remains straight.
hundred kilometers so that a vast area can be covered. To ensure that marine plastic debris can be collected passively by using the natural rotational current of the
Pathways of plastic pollution 1
the water needs to be created. array to the seabed, which also ensures that the loads on the through these moorings. u oys will be used to compensate for the downward pull of the mooring lines. ecause the mid-ocean depths can exceed 4, meters, large amount of
1 2
Gyre
4 3
1 - Catching 7
5
6
re uir ed.
Plan view of boom 2m deep net
2 - Concentrating
3 - Ocean plastic collector
ean curr ent direction
Plastic enters the ocean from coastal urbanisation (1), through rivers (2), from beaches (3), and from ships (4). Through currents and wind, plastic gets transported through the ocean or ea vier-than-water plastics are likely to sink not far from the coast ( ), unless the plastic encapsulates air. Possible sinks for the plastic in the gyre include sinking due to loss in buoyancy, ingestion, biodegradation, and natural loss onto coastlines due to currents ( ).
Expanded recycling process
Plastic Gyres
Gyres are the ocean current vortexes that circulate all objects within the ocean. Pollution of plastic is built up in these gyres.
Plant sampling
Taxus wallichiana tree
Taxus tree Housing structure
process is growing a Taxus wallichiana tree, which is grown through montane/ temperable and tropical condition. Our tree structure housing will grown in phases to accomodate the growing tree. The stem of the tree wll
The plastic build-up within the oceans and gyres in particular have increased to a point where there is a possibility of plastic
this, Extracts of bark are then taken out of the tree
Sterilization warehouse
Placing of inner tissue warehouse
potato storage unit
gyres in the world where plastic gathers due to current circulation. It just so happens that the gyres are where wildlife feed. ith plastic waste endangering wildlife and ecosystems, the uestion being asked is ow can we reduce the amount of plastic pollution .
thresholds causes plastic debris to move back and forth, eroding particles into micro-plastics.
Sterilization warehouse
1950
50 Million Tons Extraction warehouse
In 1950, 50 million tons of plastic was recorded in the outhern and r ctic c ean. Potato straining Building
00
245 Million Tons
Potato broth Agar Aggregate
otat o ar ing
Agar powder
otatoes will be farmed on site in strategical positions, located close to its processing facilities. Once potatoes arrive into warehose, 200g of sliced,washed and unpealed potatoes are boiled in 1ltr of distilled water for 0 minutes. The potatoes are then strained with a cheese cloth to extract the broth.
20 grams of agar dextrose powder is added to the potato broth mix, the medium is then sterilized by autoclaving 15 pounds per square inch (100kpi) for 15 minutes.
In 00 , 5 million tons of plastic was recorded in the outhern and r ctic c ean.
PDA
A dilution The is then diluted at 1 10, and plates are then sealed every 2
36.3%
days.
40.4%
Storage terminal
2050
Pieces of plastic, such as bottle lids, whose origins cannot be traced.
h ere is ore than . illion tons of plastic waste currentl produced in the world per ear.
13.9% 4.5% PDA dilution and isolation warehouses Fungus
0.7%
solation
asting
ungus is solated and transferred to fresh plates, which are ten stored in containers at 0 degreees. gar ( ) moulds are then placed to be casted through the addition of chiz ophyllam, which will sit into the agar mould body.
PDA sealment warehouse
i c ro p l a s t i cs reside in arine creatures
h ese icro plastics are digested b arine c reatures
Rise of the low-tech
llegall disposed ite s .
3.9% te s used during shipping are lost o erboard during stor s .
Housing typologies
0.2% i c r o p l as t i c ne er reall full degrades
t is o re e pensi e to reco er plastics and process their h drocarbons to rec cle the than it is to use irgin crude oil
Opportunity for port settlements
Current solutions Plastic processing warehouse
Hull city
u lic n tergration
The community within ull will also be invited to participate in the ocean clean up of plastic, by ensuring that all the city recycles its plastic, preventing it from being releaed into the oceans again.
Plastics
lastic r ec cling
Outer layers of stem from Taxus tree are removed
pelleted plastic from both sea and land is dealt with in plastic warehouses which ten feed peleted plastics into the agar moulds. The fungal bacteria then degrades the plastic aswell as itself to be made edible for organisms on site. gar and plastics are stored within the tree terminals.
The Ocean leanup plastic net array will reduce embodied energy used capturing the plastic as well as massively increasing success capturing micro plastics.
Indonesia is one of a few countries that has a positive success rate of recycling plastic pollution. They recover 5% of the world’s plastic through manual labour.
Due to Indonesia being located adjacent to the Indian Ocean gyre, the natural currents of the ocean disperse the plastic onto Indonesia’s coastline.
This has led to their society having to deal with the direct repercussions of plastic pollution.
Manual labour recovers 5% of worlds plastic
Seamless transition
Manual labour isn’t fast enough Plastic array net is 7900x faster than any known plastic capture method
Settlements that are faced directly with plastic pollution adapt their culture to the
again.
6.4 Million Tons per year
Post-war infrastructure
Legacy endorsement
Hull’s infrastructure
K s nergy stuary
Current proposals
Cycle city
Kingston upon Hull
Current projects within the energy estuary
Hull’s coastline currently houses a growing port side develop ent site which is the largest in the U .
Using Hull as a plastic recycling port would establish the city in the ‘Energy Estuary’ as Hull currently doesn’t have any direct relations or industry bids.
K
New public areas for locals and attractions for tourists
HULL 8th Best place to visit G
Often thought of by outsiders as one of the worst cities to live in, a ‘crap-town’
K
now reversed its fortunes. A year before it’s culture title, Hull has reached the top 10 cities to visit in the world.
As the city prepares for the spotlight, substantial funding is being allocated towards Hull in the hope of creating a city-wide development and legacy. “The overall aim of the UK City of Culture programme is to encourage the use of culture and creativity as a catalyst for change.”
Under investigation of the CIty of Culture development, the conditions of dock industries and architecture are not acknowledged. By creating a new masterplan to bring local communities and businesses back to the waterfront, Hull can create a new legacy.
As well as regenerating Hull’s waterfront, PlastiCity will create a promotion of bio-materials through the development of new and eco-friendly factories and research laboratories.
Revive shipping
with bike designated routes that run through the city
Recy cled housing
New trading of plastic H
Water features are installed along
A
The proposed s ite that w ould c ater for the recycling of plastic is in Hull’s industrial park. Regenerating this area will r evolve a round t he p lastic i ntake as well as reviving the culture of Hull’s city t hrough i mport and e xport of goods through the docks.
P
well as interventions
C
urban
Lighting up of buildings with street lighting strategies
Hull was nationally known as the ‘Cycle City’ due to Bio-plastics can be used to renew the title through an improved cycle network.
G
Architectural pioneer
i er c onte t o
Lord Line
ll
The Lord Line was a crucial building within Hull’s docks as the into the city and out to the world.
Asia
8% Energy recovery rate
The rise and importance of whaling in the late 18th Century was central to the town of Hull. This industry brought vast wealth until over-whaling reduced the remained the main employer for the next two hundred years.
lasti ity ill i port plastic as ell as retrieve ocean plastic
23% Recycling rate
E r ope
PlastiCity architectural response
Asia has many recycling factories that pay people for materials and waste. o wever, EU countries are paying these recycling industries to hold their waste that would then be recycled.
Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands and Norway are ranked best in the EU for plastic recovery.
As trade and industry grew through the docks, culture rapidly developed in Hull and the architecture followed suit. Live import markets took place around St. Andrew’s Dock and Fruit Street, attracting the wider community of Hull. Architecture implemented
E port plastic 69% Disposal rate
PlastiCity creates an interaction between the local community and its industrial buildings that Hull once had. Exposing the structures and infrastructural processes of the docks would allow for illustratation of plastic imports right the way through to fungi eating the plastic in a range of bespoke warehouse buildings.
Promenade buildings
of warehouses roof walkways
perspective of the docks as well as a waterfront promenade path.
ountries in the EU have a tendency to export plastic, in particular to Asia due to the ease of availability and relative cost.
Plastic that can’t be eaten by the fungi can instead be recycled into polycarbonate panels; the focal material of the industrial park’s architectural cladding. The translucent panels allow hints of industrial activity to be shown, with light allowed to pass inside.
Exposing structure St. Andrew’s Dock buildings, such as the Pump House, revealed mechanisms of the industries ongoing throughout the docks, a quality that has now been lost.
Industrial regeneration
The attraction of culture
MADE IN
H LL Tourism isn’t the sole architectural driver. The architecture within PlastiCity w ill e mbrace t he p ast and present state of Hull.
Overpowering industrial park
Introduction of architecture
Hull’s current industrial park dominates the waterfront with a discontinuity of warehouse structures. There is little in the way of architectural interest that the public can access. Quality areas of visual appeal are hidden behind fences or dull sided warehouses. The once direct connection between local people and local industry has been replaced by uniformly drab corrugated steel boxes.
The architectural response to the brief looks to focus on how the current architecture of Hull can be preserved. This project looks to refurbish both façades and plans of current buildings on site in a bid to preserve the existing fabric. The use of locally made materials and architectural expression, which is relevant to Hull’s history, help to invite users, locals, tourists and workers into the industry processes.
The concept of PlastiCity is to integrate new and old architecture together. With our collective knowledge on Hull’s history and culture, we created a family of typologies that would serve as a base for our architectural response to the site.
Site building typologies
Plastic neighbourhood typologies
Potato straining
Broth storage
Building in which potatoes are strained to extract broth
Potato broth will be stored in these units
Placing of inner tissue
ousing odel The new housing models range from 1-3 bed with large open plan living spaces and two balconies. The integration of local small businesses looks to promote use on site and a stronger link to the city centre.
Facility where Taxus tree inner tissue is placed
Potato storage
ndustrial building odel The new industrial model holding plastic facilities is made from e isting structural frames which have been refurbished. These are then encased by a cellular polycarbonate block facade.
Potatoes will be stored in these units
2. Restroom 3. Private staircase 4. Delivery / storage 5. Living room 6. Kitchen 7. Boiler room 8. Master bedroom 9. Toilet 10. Balcony 11.Wardrobe 12. External walkway
13. Plant room 14. Plastic conveyor belts 15. Male & female toilets 16. Common room 17. Storage units 18. Private entrance 19. Seating area 20. External seating area 21. Customer entrance 22. Goods entrance 23. Straining room
Sterilisation warehouses Buildings where potatoes are sterilised
Potato straining PDA warehouse
Building where potatoes are strained
Location where PDA dilution and isolation occur
Public building odel The newly proposed restaurants and bars within t. nd rew s ock are built to emulate the e isting buildings. Through the use of similar architectural construction and open plan layouts movement and use of space through the building is optimised.
PDA sealment
Location for PDA aggregate to be sealed and stored
ndustrial building odel The proposed industrial model for potato straining is taken from the e isting building which is being refurbished. arge open rooms allow for lighting in meeting and reception spaces. The proposed plan looks to upgrade the e isting layout and goods.
Plastic warehouses Location where plastic from land and sea is processed
Extraction warehouse
Shops and housing
Location for bark extraction from stem of Taxus tree
The new housing
The building typologies w ithin our site have b een u pcycled, t his is done as a strategy t o preserve t he e xisting urban grain. In doing s o, o ur a rchitecture relates to its surroundings and to the city through the use o f businesses a nd modern construction materials.
having both shop and living spaces
Storage warehouses
These
loading
areas
are
the potatoes necessary for our plastic process.
Daniel Press Part II Portfolio