INTERSPECIES TRANSIT HUB

Weir Mill is a grade II listed building located in Chestergate, Stockport. It is a former cotton spinning and weaving mill which sits next to the River Mersey located on the north of the site. The river was a significant component to the mill as it was used as a source of power. The brick mill comprises of mid 19 century building with 18th century remains, making it the earliest mill to be built on the riverbank. The site comprises of the east and west mill, west shed, a factory, the Wheel House, and a weaving shed, in which the Stockport railway viaduct breaks into the site on the east. Its structure is generally in good conditions, remaining intact with its ancillary buildings. Furthermore, its strategic location next to the viaduct adds to its value as an architectural interest.

As Weir Mill is rich in greenery and is located near the River Mersey, the historic industrial site has the potential to become a selfsustaining ecosystem and home to wildlife species. Adhering to the idea of Posthuman architecture, our scheme aims to transform Weir Mill into a cohabitation space for humans and protected wildlife species in the UK;namely hedgehogs and bats. With the use of moss found in abundance on site, moss walls will play the role in assisting the generation of electrical energy. On top of that, moss hosts multiple insects and other invertebrates which are food sources for hedgehogs and bats. By designing suitable habitats for these species, the issue of species endangerment can be mitigated. Other than that, Weir Mill will become a transit hub for hedgehogs and bats as we aim to link the site to their habitats in Stockport. It will also be a transit hub for humans due to it being in close proximity to the viaduct and its strategic location by providing flexible homes for travellers.

As Weir Mill consists of 4 different buildings, it is broken into four different parts which are apartments and duplex, co-living houses, co-working spaces and moss electrical energy generation lab. On the exterior, a wide landscape surrounds the buildings where elevated hedghog tunnels erected and wraps around all the building internally and externally.The network of species was done to abide the brief where humans and non-humans to cohabit within the same building without directly interacting with each other.

1. Green roof : 65mm engineered soil, 5mm moisture retention membrane, 20mm drainage layer, 2mm roofing membrane, 50mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane, 300mm existing masonry jack arch ceiling with cast iron beam

2. Double glazed operable arch window

3. 350mm existing brick wall with epoxy sealant for waterproofing

4. 20mm oak flooring, 65mm sand/cement mix with 16mm radius underfloor heating pipes,75x150mm timber floor joist, 12.5mm screed, 65mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane, 250mm existing masonry floor, 150mm gravel infill, stepped brick foundation with 1200x500mm concrete base

5. 20mm oak flooring, 65mm sand/cement mix with 16mm radius underfloor heating pipes,75x150mm timber floor joist, 12.5mm screed, 65mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane, 250mm existing masonry jack arch floor with cast iron beam

6. 12.5mm gypsum plasterboard, 9mm screed, 50mm space for services, 65mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane, 50mm space for services, 9mm screed, 12.5mm gypsum plasterboard

7. Apartment wall: 12.5mm gypsum plasterboard, 9mm screed, 65mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane, 9mm screed, 2.5mm gypsum plasterboard

8. Hedgehog’s tunnel: 500x500mm perforated steel tunnel held with 70mm steel column beams

9. 65mm engineered soil, 5mm moisture retention membrane, 20mm drainage layer, 65mm thermal insulation wrapped with water proofing membrane

Moss Energy Production

Moss Area Calculation:

1 Tray Area: 1.2m x 2.15m = 2.58m2

1 Tower (10 Trays) = 2.58m2 x 10 = 25.8m2

Total of Towers: 13 Tower Modules x 5 Rows =(13 x 10) x 5 =650 Trays

Total of Moss Area = 650 x 2.58m2 = 1677 m2

UV Light - To suppy light for the moss when needed

Potential Power Supply

Based on the power supply estimation table previously mentioned during the moss experimentation voltaic cell, the possible potential for the weaving shed to supply is as below:

Moss

Carbon Felt Grafoil Topsoil + Zeolite (Clay)