Resilience

RESILIENCE

BY S E L E N A I S I L DA R

Professor Simone Giostra and Hope Strode Politecnico di Milano 2020

MONTE COFANO

CUSTONACI BASIN

LOCALIZATION Area Analysis

Trapani

Custonaci

Localization: SICILY

Annual Mean Temperature

Tree Cover Density

DESERTIFICATION in Sicily

1979

2018

DESERTIFICATION Risks of Climate Change

Source: IPCC Climate Change & Land Report (2019) / Visual Capitalist

AGRICULTURE Area Analysis

Landuse 1:100.000 Quarries Grassland Mediterrian Shrubs Limestone Cliff Oak Forest Builtup areas Cropland

90% of land is classified as cropland with the remaining 10% classified as non-cropland.

GREENHOUSE GASES

Climate Change Contrubuting Factor

Source: IPCC Climate Change & Land Report (2019) / Visual Capitalist

QUARRY BASINS Area Analysis

Quarries 1:30.000 Active Quarries Non-active Quarries Excavation Waste Ecological Corridor

CONSEQUENCES of Stone mining

custonaci basin

1,800,000 tons/year 85% of marble in Sicily 2.7% in World Stone: Limestone, Perlato di Sicilia Composition: calcite (98%) and (2%) dolomite, apatite, illite, goethite and quartz

Only 20% of marble is used, reaming 80% is waste of production

CUSTONACI BASIN Site Analysis

MINING WASTE of Custonaci Basin

Quarry

2,500

Quarry

2,00,000

Sawmill

Sawmill Finishing Plant

1,800,000 2.000 1,400,000 800,000

1,500

600,000 1,000 400,000 200,000

500 0

Spoil (quarry)

0

Scraps

Electrical Energy (MJ)

Energy Use

Main wastes from marble production Marble tiles

(g/m3)

Slabs

1200 900 700 500 300 100 0 CO2

Diesel Oil (MJ)

NOx

S02

CO

Pollutant emissions from the marble production

} POLLUTION AND ENERGY USE Source: Marble quarrying: an energy and waste intensive activity in the production of building materials V. Liguori, G. Rizzo & M. Traverso

UNDER RISK

Natural Reserve Area

.

San Vito Lo Capo

.

Zingaro Reserve

.

Monte Cofano Reserve

Ecological Corridor 1:100.000 Quarries Ecological Corridor Ecological Bugger Zones River Basins Linear Corridor Redevelopment of Linear Corridor

Quarries located next to the natural habitat are increasing the risk of depopulation.

HABITAT

& Local Species

Bonelli’s eagle

Italian Wall Lizard

Sicilian Pond Turtle

Green Whip Snake

Eleonora’s Falcon

European Shag

Sicilian Wall Lizard

Egyptian vulture neophron

Reptiles Mammals

Birds Amphibians

Red Fox

Italian Tree Frog

European rabbit

Least weasel

Crested porcupine

Discoglossus

HOW TO REVERSE THE PROCESS ?

OF DESERTIFICATION

& RECOVER NATURE

1.

RESTORE DESERTIFIED LAND : REACTIVE APPROACH

Reforestation / Increase Biodiversity Enrich Soil with algae Introduce non-native plants & species adapted to changing climate

2.

Water Management

PREVENT DESERTIFICATION : PROACTIVE APPROACH

Bio-fertilizer for nearby croplands Algae Cultivation to combat climate change

Bio-fuel for active quarries

REACTIVE APPROACH REFORESTATION PROCESS

WATER RUNOOFF and Slope Analsysis

In oder to slowdown the running water and have a healthy hydrological cycle, reforestation has introduced.

660 m

250 m 150 m 50 m

Steepness

SHRUBLANDS & Desertification

SHRUBLANDS ARE MORE PRONE TO DESERTIFICATION

High Risk Areas 1:30.000 Quarries Shrublands Desertification High Medium

PLANT SPECIES & Level of sensitivity

Level of sensitivity to desertification

Mediterrenean shrublands

Riparian Vegetation

Pioneer vegetation

Downy Oak Trees

Chestnut trees

Turkey Oak

Beech Forest

Representaviness in Sicily Potential Selected non-native species

We introduced non-native species in order to provide a positive contrubuion to a relatively stable forests. These species are selected considering their draught resistanse and adaptability to sub-tropical climate. Under scarcity, the variability will create a better chance of survival.

Downy Oak Trees

Turkey Oak

Selected non-native species

Beech Forest

SOIL QUALITY

LOW

DRYLAND RESTORATION STRATEGY of Custonaci Basin

Current Ecological Corridor

Identification of areas at high risk to climate change

Reforestation in segments

Long-term expansion of the ecological corridor

X

TREKKING PATH as an expansion

X

X X

X

X X

X X

X

X Since Riserva di Monte Cofano is also used as a trekking area, an expansion of the trekking path has designed. Plantation occurs in the areas where there is less human interaction.

X

PLANTATION STRATEGY based on density gradient

X X

X X

X X X

X

Localization

Attractor Points Attractor points are placed as an extention of the trekking path. Drylands are mainly where the attractor points are located, in order to revive nature.

X X

X

X

X

X X

Path: Shortest Walk

Plantation

provides continuity to existing trekking areas

density of plants

precipitation

Micro catment system ff

o run

infiltration

Pitting as an example of in-situ rainwater harvesting techniques. Small holes next to the plants help to increase infiltration of rainwater

X

DISTRUBUTION STRATEGY of trees and shrubs

X

X X

X

X X

X X

X Plants are planted considering the steepness of the site. Species are distrubuted according to their adaptability to different soil conditions and steepness.

water acummulation

X

SPECIES

3m

Downy Oak Holly Oak Turkey Oak Beech

6m

Palma Nana Aleppo Pine Red Pine

9m Black Pine Sicilian Fir

TREES SHRUBS 2x x

Coolatai Grass Rope Grass Foxtail Grass Chaste Tree

Retem Euphorbia b.

Lantana Rock Diasy Glossy abelia

4x

x

6x

Tree Spurge Dianthus rupicola Villoso Subsp.

Pricky Pear

x

plants are grouped according to the slope steepness with respect to the population density division.

Cliff

High D

Density + Diversity

Human Path/ non disruptive presence

EXPANSION STRATEGY of ecological corridor

For a natural growth and expansion of the ecological corrdior, bee hives are introduced

Trees

50 – 1,000 flowers/ per trip An average honey bee colony, with 25,000 forager bees, each making 10 trips a day, will be able to pollinate 250 million flowers per day.

Forage in radious of 4 to 5 km

Hive Localization (Forestry + Beekeping) Hives may be located within or near a tree plantation, and utilize both the trees and surrounding other flowering plants for forage.

3D Printed Honeycomb / Biomimicry bees’ most stressful, energy-consuming task – making honeycomb.

60,000 bee a week time work = one day 3d printing

Faster Pollination Process: FASTER REFORESTATION

model study

PROACTIVE APPROACH Creation of a Circular System

ALGAE CULTIVATION

WHY ALGAE ?

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

ENERGY FOOD + FUEL

RAPID CARBON CYCLING

CO2

+ O2

as a highly efficient photosynthesizer, algae produces 70% - 80% of all oxygen on earth.

WATER CYCLING

121,000 Litres of Biodiesel per 10,000 sqm per year

BIOFERTILIZER

EFFECTIVE WASTE WATER TREATMENT

NH4

NO3

ammonium

nitrates EATEN BY ALGAE

PO4

phosphates

Increase Soil Porosity Increase in Nitrifiers ALGAE CAN DOUBLE ITS MASS IN LESS THAN 24

hrs

PROJECT ALLOCATION according to the needs of Algae

ALGAE ESSENTIALS

STEP 02: SUN

STEP 01: WATER COLLECTION

CO2 CO2 is present in the air due to active quarries.

Accumulation Area

Nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)

Project Area

February

WATER

LIGHT

July

1. Runoff rain water accumulates in the quarry.

2. Sun Radiation Analysis optima

N OPTIMIZATION

ALGACULTURE SYSTEMS

STEP 03: ALGAE SELECTION

OPEN PONDS

April

Algae can be grown on open settling ponds, but this approach is unlikely to provide the best yields. + high risk of contamination + large areas

PHOTOBIOREACTORS Therefore, a closed system has used for bioreactors. + controlled system + minimized area

ALGAE SELECTION Cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae)

November

s used to allocate the bioreactors for al algae cultivation.

3. Photobioreactors are used vertically to use gravity for cultivation.

4. Commmon Algae type used for fertlizers and bio-fuel

VISION Surrounding croplands and ongoing excavation activities are polluting the natural environment, which is crucial for a natural reserve area of Monte Cofano. In order to connect with surrounding nature, a structure has designed which is mimicing the movement of the water. The flowing structure allows to obtain technical functions for algae cultivation inside the secondary landscape. As a result of the algae cultivation, fresh water will accumulate and provide a natural biotope for the existing species that are under danger. By time, the structure will age with nature to become a part of it.

+ Modular Structure

+ Algae Bioreactros

Hidden LAB

Form Finding Artificial Lanscape

VOXELLATION Loft is turned into a modular structure using the voxellation algorithm. Modularity of this structure is mimicing the excavated stones which are present on the site. As the structure grows into an artificial landscape, it unifities and connects with its surrounding.

voxel reference image: Custonaci Basin

LOFT Locations where the structure will be supported. Loft is created using this points which will create an organic form which flows through the site like the movement of water.

Towards sun

Type 01

Type 01 is the lighest element of this structure, it allow us to form the flowing structure.

Type 02

Type 02 module is distrubuted among the architectural functions that should be provided for the algae cultivation.

Type 03 Type 03 of the elements are disctrubuted towards the water and the sun. Since it has a thicker surface, it will allow moss to grow on it and naturalize the structure.

Towards water

ASSEMBLY & Construction

Type 01 and Type 02 Material: Steel: Assembly & Welding Process: The pre-manufactured elements forming the structure are made of steel and they can be easily rearranged and replaced. The tubular steel elements are interconnected at nodal points throughout the structure, which are either fully welded nodes or bolted. The connections into the nodal points have been taken as fully rigid, in both axis and torsionally.

Pre-fabrication Robot assembly & welding

Transportation of the voxel pieces

On-site assembly

SOLAR PANELS & Growth of Nature

VOXEL STRUCTURE SOLAR IRRADIANCE

OPTIMIZED PLACEMENT FOR SOLAR PANELS and moss growth

Solar Panel

Type 03 Material: In order to recycle the sand dust in around the quarry, these modules are realized by 3D printing in concrete. It is placed in the areas exposed to high levels of irradiance.

Moss Growth:

Type 03 is used as a base for solar panels.

In the concrete mix, magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) has inckuded which has a slight acidity and supports biological growth.

ALGAE BIOREACTORS & Swarm Ingtelligence

CONCEPT

FORM STUDY

Algae under microscope

SCRIPT DECRYPTION Anemone has used to realize the algortihm for the swarm-like bioreactors. Newtons second law of motion has applied in order to create a swarm behaviour.

POPULATE GEOMETRY

APPLYING ATTRACTION FORCE

APPLYING SPINNING FORCE

SETTING A TARGET POINT

LARGER TRAVEL DISTANCE FOR ALGAE CULTIVATION

ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING & Robots

TECHNOLOGY BY MIT MEDIA LAB

Fiberglass has a high strength despite being low in density. It’s high elastic behaviour enable us to build the desired curves for the bioreactors. With the help of the FIBERBOTS, it is easy to realize the structure tubes.

For long term, fiberglass needs less maintanence compared to other contenvitonal materials for cultivation.

About Fiberbots: The FIBERBOTS are a swarm of robots designed to wind fiberglass filament around themselves to create high-strength tubular structures. These structures can be built in parallel and interwoven to rapidly create architectural structures. The robots are mobile, using sensor feedback to control the length and curvature of each individual tube according to paths determined by a custom, environmentally informed, flocking-based design protocol. This gives designers the ability to control high-level design parameters that govern the shape of the resulting structure without needing to tediously provide commands for each robot by hand.

TECHNOLOGICAL DIAGRAM Algae Cultivation System

SOLAR PANELS

0 1

WATER PUMP INCUBATION CHAMBER / CULTURE TANK

ALGAE BIOREACTORS

2 lipid tank

slo

pe

3

<3

GRAVITY CLARIFIER/ OIL EXTRACTION FRESH WATER

4 GRAVITY CLARIFIER

A circular system designed to sustain the algae cultivation

FUNCTION POSITIONING Technological System Allocation

Volumes are formed by substacting the cubes from the voxel structure.

1 WATER PUMP & ALGAE TANK

2 SHAFT BIOREACTORS

3

EXTRACTION ROOM

4

FRESH WATER

MASTERPLAN

& Programme Allocation

SOLAR PANELS

LOOKOUT POINT

INSIDE THE LAB

BIOREACTORS

PUMP & ALGAE TANK

EXTRACTION & FRESH WATER OBSERVATION

LAB

PLAN 1:500

rain water Pump & Algae Tank

Extraction

Algae Cultivation fresh water

LAB

observation path

entrance

end-products will be transported using the existing road from quarry.

accessible through the trekking path

SITE SECTION 1:500

PUMP & ALGAE TANK

BIOTOPE

LAB Wet Meadow

Emergent Plants

small stones from the quarry

BIOTOPE PLANT DISTRUBUTION

Floating and Submersed Plants

habitat for local species

SITE SECTION 1:500

ALGAE TANK

Max. sunlight for algae cultivation

3

RAINWATER COLLECTION

4

2 WATER PUMP

5 EXTRACTION

FRESH WATER

FRESH WATER

6

1

ALGAE SECTION 1:100

Fiberglass Algae Culture

Waterproof Seal Steel Support Pipe

Concrete Base

D-1 1:5

D-1

BIOREACTORS

EXTRACTION AREA