Can we use the energy generated by dancing to build regenerative towers in abandoned places to give wildlife a bigger chance of survival?
Living Architecture Eros Risiglione
Living Architecture - Eros Risiglione
Observation
When I look around Eindhoven the most common birds
I see are the sparrow and the pigeon. They have adapted to our way of living, surviving off the scraps we litter. Unfortunately, only certain birds have adapted so fast to the rapidly changing times. For other species, it is likely heading to extinction. Here the problem lies in us, humans. We have been thinking too self-centered, mostly caring about our living environment and food needs. That’s why the population of wild birds is lowering ever since. And now it is time to give something back.
You know sustainability, you might know circularity (design our waste), but the solution lies in the way nature has done it before us. With regeneration, replenish and restore.
How it works
A festival dance floor to enhance the ecosystem in the region.
I want to give wild birds a bigger chance of survival that’s why I designed a scaled-down ecosystem made from fertile soil bricks and rammed earth.
To make people aware and feel more included in this notion, I will make a dance floor to turn the generated energy into rammed earth blocks. This can be used in a festival setting, together the festival visitors will stack the blocks and create this fertile tower. It will host plants that would sprout, give food for insects and disperse more seeds. Those insects are of great nutrition for birds. The birds can live and feed off this structure and when everything has served its purpose the structure dies. And makes way for fungi that will dissolve all the dead and makes way for the other to flourish.
Research
Research rammed earth
The notion of Synanthropic living by Sarah Gunawan
The notion of Synanthropic living by Sarah Gunawan
The notion of Synanthropic living by Sarah Gunawan
Dovecote by Oscar Niemeyer in Brasília 1961
Living with wild birds
The Pombal is 25 meters high and represents two doves facing inwards. Seen from the outside, they are two concrete blocks, but the two volumes have three curved recesses to allow pigeons to enter. Niemeyer was inspired by the gaps and locations of rock formations, places where pigeons seek to make their nests. The space works well for animals, having its interior with variations of light and shadow and sheltered from the weather.
to proliferate in the square and its surroundings. Birds use the place to this day, also nesting in the other surrounding buildings after overcrowding the loft.
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE SPARROW RELATION W/ HUMAN 2021-2022
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE SPARROW BEHAVIOUR 2021-2022
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE SPARROW BEHAVIOUR 2021-2022
1. 5. 2. 6. 3. 7. 4. 8. EXCAVATION 26.10.2021
1. 2.3. 6. 5. 4. 7. 8. Vonderweg 11, Eindhoven
Locally collecting several types of earth
Not like this
More like this
Nature, by default, is regenerative
Rather that dominating other species we need to remember that we too, are part of nature. We can contribute to the health of the planet and play our role in accelerating natural regenegation.
Translation
Dancefloor tryouts
Trying different molds
Tryouts with rammed earth 3. 70% sand 30% clay 1. 90% sand 10% clay
4. 60% sand 40% clay 2. 80% sand 20% clay
Inspired by middle eastern and roman archtecture Shape tryouts_01
Returning to a brick-like shape
and Shape tryouts_02
cilinder walls
Working with rammed rings Shape tryouts_03
Inspired by old industry chimney Shape tryouts_04
The final shape
Large rammed earth blocks to strengthen the structure alternated by removable soil blocks for fertility
Mold making
A metal mold to shape rammed earth and soil
Metal mold
The metal mold was too weak and the mixure too brittle
Wooden mold
With an improved wooden mold and the right raw materials I was able to create rammed earth
Finer soil N.3 Dark soil N.1 Re-used clay dust Finalisation
Result of ramming earth
Cultivating the fertile soil
The assembly of the tower
Thank you for reading through my proces book. I hope it gave you more information and inspiration. With this project I proved that by using only waste and re-used materials you can rightfully convey an idea. The overuse of materials of design projects and prototyping should be kept to a low. This will not only challenge you to think in more sustainable and circulair ways, but also might make space for something regenerative that will keep renewing itself.
Nature, by default, is regenerative
