Architecture As Ecological Element Bird Fish Human Residence at Keppel Singapore
Theme: Energy + Form Student: Chou I Hsuan Professor: Sawako Kaijima
Architecture as Ecological Element To conceive architecture for both human and nature’s ecosystem----I wish to explore this possibility. A plot of land is cleared in preparation for the construction of a building. That is the start of how we build a house. In exchange of the wild space, we get a place of shelter, of pleasure, of practical uses. We live and thrive in it. We make memories. Before the global dominance of cities, the earth must have seemed so infinite. We had too much of nature and its abundance of resources. An empty island was full of potential for human settlement. When we exploited the land, other living things retreated to another place and give up the land human try to take over. But now, when resources and space are finally getting scarce after centuries of human development, both man and the earth’s biodiversities could experience the stress of our ill-managed earth. Natural catastrophes are becoming frequent yearly news instead of once every x centuries. More than one species becomes extinct every single day. It makes sense to start seeking a better way of designing our living environment. Architecture alone would not be enough to solve the issues of our damaged earth. But architects hold great power in the chain of action of city building, which holds our earth’s future. An architecture that enables a lifestyle in mutual benefits with its surrounding ecosystem. This is the vision of my thesis project. In this vision, architecture becomes an element of ecosystem. Beyond serving people, it has a ecological role to play. To think about this kind of architecture, and to evaluate its performance, a new framework that considers the important things for both human and other organisms is needed : food and water is the most essential physical need of most living organisms; a suitable/comfortable space for survival and various lifestyles; daily and annual schedule of human and other species reveals greatly the behavior and environmental conditions necessary for a species’ lifestyle. Therefore the resource-space-time framework of architecture, is what I wish to propose through my thesis. This is a design thinking and evaluation framework applied to multi-species including human, plants, animals and other organisms in a site’s context. It attempts to learn from the ways nature’s ecosystem works in managing a healthy landscape, and in application to the formation of architecture and its subsequent impact on human lifestyle as well as its surrounding ecosystem. Architecture thus created will become an ecological element.
Ecosystem: A community of living organisms with the non-living components of their environment (eg. air, water and mineral soil). These biotic and abiotic components interact as a system, linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
0. Design Methodology Resource-Time-Space Framework Resource
Completeness of Resource Cycle how architecture manages its water and food resources (a) balance of input and output of resources through architecture (b) degree of resource sharing with human and other species
Mount Faber
Keppel Golf Course
Space
Spatial Quality According to Species how architecture negotiate space for species withing an ecosystem (a) species dimensions (b) species niche (c) spatial comfort (d) territory & privacy
Time
Compatibility of Activity Schedule how architecture accomodates cross-species schedule (a) annual and daily schedule (b) schedule relationships
Berlayer Creek
Mount Faber
Resource Competition for Food
Hygiene, Disease, Safety
Competition For Space Mutual Light& Sound Pollution
S p a ce
e
Sea
Bukit Chermin
Tim
Labrador Park
1. Bird Habitat Provision Restoration of a healthy mangrove forest is essential for the birds in Keppel, providing nesting and foraging spaces. Site Analysis | 20 Selected Keppel Bird Species
2. Water System & Fish Farm
3. Sharing Land, Water & Fish
Unlike conventional tanks fish farm, the proposed fish farm system is in closed loop with the existing mangrove, the sea, and the domestic waste water both within and outside the site.
This is an architecture that enables a lifestyle of water and fish sharing with the bird species in Keppel. The three users: bird, fish and human coexist and mutually benefit each other.
The system manifests as an open water landscape over an area of 80, 000 square metre, with an average depth of 50 cm. *a. White Bellied Sea Eagle
*b. Brahminy Kite
c. Large Billed Crow
g. Banded Woodpecker
f. Hill Myna
e. Changeable Hawk Eagle
d. Blue Crowned Hanging Parrot
*h. Black Crowned Heron
i. Black Naped Oriole
Consisting of reconstructed wetland, freshwater streams, ponds and reconstructed coastal wetland, the fish farm system not only provides fresh fish for consumption, but cleanses domestic and fish farm grey water up to the standard of portable water after boiling.
*j. Great Billed Heron
Precedent: Satoyama Lake Biwa Japan k. Dark Necked Tailor Bird
l. Greater Coucal
n. Common Iora
m. Oriental Dollar Bird
SPACE | Cross Species Visual & Audio Comfort
o. Olive Winged Bulbul
VISUAL ACUITY
MAXIMUM r. Oriental Magpie Robin
q. Olive Backed Sunbird
p. Yellow Vented Bulbul
s. Blue Tailed Bee-eater
Detailed Drafting >1500lux
*t. Little Tern
Precedent: Bishan-Ang Mokio Park Singapore
SUPERIOR Full Daylight 1000lux
Bird Nest
Bird Forage Area
GOOD
Fish Farm
Drawing 750lux
Site Analysis | Space Nest Types
Kitchen
Top 5 Edible Fish Species in Singapore
Study Room
MODERATE Writing 500lux
Bathroom
SOME
Constructed On Forks of Branches
a over 30 m
h <10m
e 12m
c 10-20 m
b 20-25 m
1 Golden Snapper
l <6m
j <6m
2 Atlantic Mackeral
3 Snakehead
5 Catfish
4 Orange Spotted Grouper
Living Room
Library 300lux
LOW
Bedroom
Restaurant 200lux
Corridor
MINIMUM
Store Room/Carpark
Moonlit Outdoor 100-150lux
Excavate or Adapt Holes
d 12m
g 8-12m
f 8-13m
1 Curry Fish Head
r 1m
m 6m
2 Fish Slice Soup
3 Fried Snakehead
4 Steamed Grouper
5 Fried Catfish
COMPLETE DARKNESS 0-50lux
NEAR SILENCE
FAINT
MODERATE
LOUD
NOISY
Rustle of Leaves 0-30dBA
Whisper 30-50dBA
Conversation 50-70dBA
Busy Traffic 70-90dBA
Night Club < 90dBA
ACOUSTIC COMFORT
Precedents for Fish Farms
Weaved Onto Low Plants
n 2.5 m
k <6m
i 6-10m
p 2m
3D Ocean Farms
Alternative Intensive Offshore Fish Farming
Bren Smith
Steve Page
Industrial Intensive Fish Farming
Small Ideas
Common Corridor
Living Room, Toilet,Kitchen & Dinning Room
Bedroom
Fish Nursary & Flowerbed At the window
q 1m
o 2m
Site Analysis | Space - Nest Height Range Cross ventilation Every space has a window with acess to light
Constructed On/ Inside Ground
s 0m
Free Range Fish
t 0m
Average Stock Density: 25 tonnes of seaweed per year per acre 250000 shellfish per year per acre
Average Stock Density:
Average Stock Density:
< 5 fish per m3
37 fish per m3
Conceptual Plan
Resources- Proposed Fish Farm System
10760m * 10700m 8 people unit
Proposed Stock Density of Fish Farm
Height (m) >30 m 6m
Rain Tree 15-30 m
30
20-25
25
Sea Water Fish
Freshwater Fish
Stock Density : 2 fish per m3
Stock Density : 1 fish per m3
10-20
20
Conceptual Section
The rectangular lines represents the boudnary of the house. Two fish farms lying both inside and outside the house. In the day, algae inside the pond photosynthesize and provides oxygen for the fish. No oxygen pomp is used. Fish feeds on the algae and the crustacians. Fish can swims inside the house for shade from the sun and wild predators. Both human and birds have access to the fish in the ponds.
Avicennia Tree 6-25 m
15
12
12
8-13
8-12
<10
6-10
10
<6
<6
<6
6
5 2.5
2
2 1
1 0
0
s
t
0 a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
Bird Species
At night, when the interior space is activated by human activities, algae produces oxygen using the interior light. Aquatic vegetables such as Kang Kong, a common dish in Singapore, can be grown inside the pond with the nutrients from the farm.
Original Site The existing site is an open grass plain sided by Labrador Nature Reserve in the north and Berlayer Creek in the south. A curvious ring-shaped building footprint is proposed.
Mangrove Restoration/ Bird Habitat Provision Mangrove species are restored back to the landscape. A connection between Labrador Nature Reserve and Berlayer Creek is re-established. Wild birds natural habitats are provided in this manner.
Fish Farm Water System Small streams, ponds and mangrove are connected in a continuous flow of water with cleaning biotopes. Being both a recreational water landscape and untanked fish farm, both human and fish enjoys clean water and pleasant living environment.
Architectural Canopy and Apartments Small islands-like apartments are arranged in a village-streetlike clusters around the water landscape. Niches of private and public spaces are created for residents. Every apartment has a good view towards either the central greenery or the existing mangrove or nature reserve.
Preserve mangrove habitat for nesting and foraging
Fish population control & Educational opportunity about wildlife
Light at night for algae oxygen production & Shade in the day from predators
food
Fish population control
food
W5. Freshwater Fish Pond
W4. Merging of Fish Farm and Mangrove
The water depth here is 5m, this is the main living space for mature fish. Fish harvest can be done here too through traditional fishing methods.
Being on higher ground, the freshwater river starts to slope gently down to merge with the extended mangrove on the lower ground. Fish swim from river to mangrove freely. Fish above 1 kg in weight can be harvested by the residents and the wild birds from the river or the mangrove water. The merger provides freshwater to the mangrove and sheltered nursary spaces for the farm fish.
P1. Public Recreation Path The roof canopy of Bird Fish Human Residence is continuous with existing public recreational path beside the Berlayer Creek. Visitors can go for a walk on this canopy overlooking the central green space and fish farm, the sea and the mangrove.
80
5
4
140
72
W2. Fish Farm River After 300m of cleansing, water is ready to be used for fish farm. Due to safety consideration, the average depth of water along the river is 50 cm. This is the habitat for small and medium sized fish. Water cleansing continues in these stretches of water. The five native edible fish selected to be breed in this farm are: Golden Snapper, Atlantic Mackerel, Snakehead, Orange Spotted Grouper, Catfish.
Cyperus papyrus
Albizia saman
Thypha angustofolia
Ficus benghalensis
Thalia dealbata
Pontederia cordata
Rizhophora
Avicennia
W3. Fish Harvest Spots As long as fish of harvested size can be caught, any part of the water system can be a harvest spot. In a sense residence can discover their favourite locations. It can even be from oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own living room. Rizhophora
W1. Cleansing Biotopes
LEGEND
Adopting the water cleansing strategies of Bishan Angmokio park, this is the starting point of domestic grey water cleansing. Zone 1 Thalia angustofolia , Thalia dealbata, Pontederia cordata
PLAN 1 : 425
Sand Roof For Little Terns Little Terns build their nests on sandy ground surfaces. In addition to the actual ground plane zoned out for them, the surrounding canopy will have sandy top surfaces.
SAND RESIDENCE SECTION 1 : 50
Water Cleansing Plants Thalia geniculata, Thalia dealbata, Thalia angustofolia, Pontederia cordata cleanses fish farm water.
Sand Interior Flooring For sand roof residence, the sand surface extends into the apartments. At high tide, part of the living room area is flooded. Residents live intimately with sand and water, interacting with the timings of its surroundings as tide changes.
SAND RESIDENCE PLAN 1 : 50
Section 1 Wide Corridor For Community to Personalise
Community Kitchen
As each apartments are small and compact, the sheltered common corridor (4-6 m) provides the extra breathing space for adults and play area for children. Residents can negotiate this space with their human and bird neighbours as they coexist in the long run.
Shared kitchen for sheltered outdoor cooking with neighbours. A large water tank is there for storage of freshly harvested fish from ground level rivers, before being cooked.
12m
SECOND lEVEL PLAN 1 : 50
Mechanical Systems within Columns Mechanical systems for water and electricity are embedded within the coloumns.
9m
Shared Air Space Between Every Level To increase vertical perocity at human and bird scale, the ceiling of each level is not touching the walls of the apartments, but serve as a sheltering canopy over them. This gap is between 3 to 6.5 metres. Birds can fly through easily. This creates sheltered from rain and sun space for both human, fish and the birds.
Staircase Staircase in between levels. It can also serve as fishing locations
Glass Roof 9m
People inside the apaprtment have better perception of their surrounding and connection with the overall architecture when they are visualy connected with the canopy that extendes beyond their direct apartment. The glass roof also gives them visual access to the bird activities in the shared air space above.
Storage Space as Railing Propped up from the mangrove water, the bedrooms are connected to the living room and kitchen with a narrow path. This path has storage shelves (height: 120 cm, depth: 30 cm) at each side that also functions as railings
Tides and Mangrove Trees
MANGROVE RESIDENCE SECTION 1 : 50
Common native mangrove species such as Avicennia Marina, Rhizophora and Sonneratia can withstand inundation of brakish water. In this proposal, this will be up to 1.5 metres.
Fish Harvesting The restored mangrove will serve as part of the fish habitat/farm. Residents living on the gorunf floor can harvest them from their own living rooms and kitchen using traditional fishing methods (cage with a lure or fishing rods). Small fish can escape the cages, while the big fish are caught.
Section 2
Shared Ground Space with Mangrove Trees Usually in Singapore, rooms inside an apartment are compacted together, sharing walls and ceilings. Here, to allow the mangrove to coexist with the aparment, water carrying the floating mangrove plant seeds need to be able to flow through the apartments to the other side of the water body. Hence, the interior spaces are broken up and pulled away from each other. In this way, the seeds can drop on both sides of the apartment and be transpared by water freely.
MANGROVE RESIDENCE GROUND PLAN 1 : 50
CHOU I HSUAN chouihsuan26@gmail.com 65 - 8230 0896
EDUCATION
2016
Singapore University of Technology and Design Master in Architecture
2012 - 2015
Singapore University of Technology and Design Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Sustainable Design Magna Cum Laude
WORK EXPERIENCE
2015
junya ishigami + associates Internship from September to December
2014
Passage Projects Internship from May to September
2013
Castle Can Fly Illustration Artist
2012
Christie's Singapore Internship from January to February
TECHNICAL SKILLS
C# Revit Rhinoceros Grasshopper DIVA
Adobe Indesign Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Corel Draw Design Builder
LANGUAGE
English Mandarin
fluent, written and spoken fluent, written and spoken