Studio04: Water

MANGROVES GALLERY

JUNYU FANG_900453

THESIS

My thesis focuses on the water ecological problems of the Yarra River and Port Philip. Comparing the ecology of Yarra River in the past and present, it seems that certainly, the development of construction and mechanical technology weakened the relationship between the water ecology and human beings. People gradually lost their respect for the water. The problem of water ecology has become serious. How to coordinate or repair the water ecology of the Yarra River and Port Philips through the design, so that artificiality and organic can coexist?

Creating artificial habitats close to the natural system will help promote the ecological improvement of polluted and degraded waters. This public facility can also be used as a place for sustainable marine products (seaweed, oysters, fish) and provide an experience platform for those who have less public engagement with water ecology. This can awaken their awareness of water ecology.

CHAPTER1 Research

All kinds of human projects seem to do harm to water ecology, even if they have good intentions sometimes. Can mechanical construction and water ecology not coexist?

In the late 19th century, some places along the river were widened for docks, ports, bridges and other infrastructure. With the improvement of industrialization, large-scale infrastructure projects have changed the downstream. The first major change was the interception of the Kud River between 1880s. This major infrastructure project created an island called Kud Island. Most industies will use the river as their downstream waste disposal methods. Today, oil and pollution still exist in several downstream rivers, such as Merri Creek.(Melbourne cIty's River Precinct. 2016)

Comparing the water ecology of Yarra River and port philip in the past and present, it seems that certainly, the development of construction and mechanical technology weakened the relationship between water and people.The obvious pollution sources(eg: Yarraville Oil Terminal, Caltex Melbourne Terminal, Newport Petroleum Terminal) and potential pollution sources along the Yarra River are marked on the map. Besides people throw rubbish along the river every day.

The obvious pollution sources(eg: Yarraville Oil Terminal) and potential pollution sources along the Yarra River are marked on the map. Besides people throw rubbish along the river every day.

Note. From Flickr. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49922765186_40e8155f35_b.jpg.

Use sticks and nets to limit the overgrowth of seaweed and take them for trading. It can absorb carbon and other pollutants. It is a very good water purifier. At the same time, it also creates new habitats for a variety of marine lives.

Seaweed Farm

Oyster Reef

Note. From SCAPE. https://www.scapestudio.com/projects/oyster-tecture/

The idea came from SCAPE. Use the growth cycle of oysters to purify water. Eventually, all empty oysters will form reefs-habitats for other aquatic life.(Barry Bergdoll, 2011)

Mangroves

Specifically, mangroves form a protection zone between the waterfront and the water. In this way, mangroves become a "pollution catcher". It can indeed purify water. However, when plastic bags and garbage cover the roots and sediments of mangroves, it is easy to cause hypoxia in mangroves; It also threatens aquatic animals.

Note. From Marco Verch. https://therevelator.org/mangroves-insects/

Concept

WATER SHORE WETLAND

WATER SHORE WETLAND

Oyster reef

WATER SHORE

WETLAND

Oyster reef

Oyster reef

Seaweed farm

Seaweed farm

Seaweed farm

Temperate mangrove field

Temperate mangrove field

Temperate mangrove field

After studying how these organic systems coexist with water ecology in their way. My idea is to cooperate with these organic systems with design, combined with human experience to awaken public engagement with water from wetland to shore and water.

CHAPTER2 Site selection

When Melbourne was developing, due to geological reasons, the government decided to expand to the north and east. So there will be major residential areas and beaches in the east. There are many wetlands in the west, so the government decided to focus on agriculture and industry.

The project is an experimental project. Test the practicability of this new type of infrastructure/architecture in the future. It does not need to be large. However, it needs to meet the growth conditions of mangroves/other plants and be related to people's daily life. The site is located in a wetland in the east of Greenwich Reserve. There are sports parks,fish cleaner and baseball clubs around. It takes 15-20 minutes by car from CBD.

Newport Park Athletics Facility

Williamstown Wolves Baseball Club

Greenwich Reserve

CHAPTER3 Artificiality

Using artificial technology helps those natural systems to work better and connect tp people's experiences.

Mangroves

The University of Melbourne develops sustainable methods to protect our water quality and prevent the erosion. The engineers developed the world's first temperate mangrove field experiment, which grew in specially designed pods to help protect the coast. The pod is designed to reduce wave energy to help small mangroves grow. As mangroves get bigger and bigger, they can accumulate sediments by themselves and purify the environment(University of Melbourne,2018).

Note. From Reef Design Lab. https://www.reefdesignlab.com/mangrove-planters

Mangroves

https://www.allaboutgardening.com/mangroves/

Temperature 20 degrees -25 degrees. Alluvial plain,

Saline water is not necessary for mangroves, but it will exclude other threatening plants, making mangroves the dominant plants along the coast and estuaries. The purification capacity of mangroves is limited, and overloaded sewage discharge will lead to obvious or potential ecological risks. In practical application, mangroves can only be used as organic purification tools under sufficient monitoring and restrictions.

soft mud formed by fine clay.

Note. From Jason White.

Experimental pod (unimelb)

There was not too much human intervention (garbage, man-made destruction) in the previous experimental site

Experimental pods

Experimental pod (unimelb)

Height: About 400mm

Diameter: About 300mm

Extremely high sediments may exceed the tolerance threshold of mangroves and cause them to die. This is convenient for people to help clean up

Organic experimental pod

Height: 1200mm

Diameter: 500mm

This device can be modularized When the mangrove forest matures, we can demolish it.

Spray nozzles

Fog can not only reduce the temperature of the whole site with the help of the south wind in summer, but also allows us to put medicines in the water pump to prevent pests for mangroves.

Organic experimental pod

In terms of the material, foamed cement is a good choice. It is breathable and waterproof at the same time. It is also a good thermal insulation material.

Mangroves

Mangroves can grow more than two meters (roots) in the deep water. The roots of mangroves on land are 30cm deep. Therefore, according to the different growth conditions, the morphology of mangroves will be completely different, especially the roots. This can give people a different impression, when they are walking betwenn mangroves.

Note. From Resonance. https://www.resonanceglobal.com/blog/mangrove-forests-natures-best-defense

Note. From NSW department of education. https://fieldofmar-e.schools.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/grey-mangrove.html

Solar panel

Artificial tree

Rain water collection Solar panel

Rainwater collector

Solar panel

Hanging crops

Hanging croIt can effectively cover the huge rainwater collector and make this artificial tree more organic.

Artificial trees will stand among mangroves to create a feeling of being half organic and half mechanical.

Height:6000mm

Purifier layer

Organic chemicals

Activated carbon

Purifier layer

Organic chemicals

Rain water strage

Activated carbon

Water storage pipe

Water compressor pump

Water compressor pump Pipes

Pipes for artificial fog

Monitors

Sediment Activated carbon

Sediment Activated carbon

Then I designed artificial trees among mangroves. I hope to create a feeling of artificial and organic coexistence. The collected rainwater will pass through the filter layer and be stored in the water storage pipe. Then the water is compressed into very small water particles by a pressuring device. They are then transported to the nozzles through thin water pipes. Water particles will sublimate into fog when they meet air.

Floating garden

BlueBlocks Floating Gardens

BlueBlocks is a modular, floating and semi-submersible structure, which is used in challenging urban fringe conditions to create small salt marsh islands and provide a series of ecological benefits for human beings and other species.

Note. From thread collective. https://ohny.org/place/blueblocks-floating-gardens/

Pollutants

Marine biobeneficial reefs

Hanging seaweed

Floating farm

Purified water

Bio-beneficial cast concrete anchors

This floating structure simulates the underwater ecosystem. As an anchor, bio-beneficial concrete purifies the water environment at the bottom. Using oysters as living reefs, each oyster can purify 78 gallons of water during its maturity. The hanging seaweed will create a better living environment for underwater creatures. It is expected that this place will become a good fish farm. People can fish here or collect seaweed.

Floating bridge

This pontoon bridge will combine the wave energy conversion devices with aquatic plants. The waves near the coastline are not big enough, but people can increase the up and down movement by walking on them. Iris pseudacorus is a plant suitable for growth here.This flower can absorb pollutants in water and can grow in shallow water and wetlands. At the same time, salt water can prevent its super growth ability.

Even so, I don't think the energy generated by this device is enough to supply the whole project. But my purpose is about public engagement and participation.

The water wave energy will rotate the turbine The turbine turns the generator that produce energy

The observation tower will have openings of different heights and sizes. People can see the whole project and mangroves from different heights during the process.

CHAPTER3 Arrangements

Let the new circulation space intersect with the water and the original path. This has more spatial possibilities than in a straight line.

Mangroves are usually about 5 meters. I hope people can observe him from different angles rather than looking up. Therefore, a curved circulation up and down is designed.

It is better to use a rectangular frame than to use columns to support the bridge above. Exposing the slender frame to the outside gives people a clearer sense of direction.

Rectangular frame to support the bridge above. The structure is slim and has a better sense of direction.

Arrayed steel frame

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 2 DETAIL 3

It is better to use a rectangular frame than to use columns to support the bridge above. Exposing the slender frame to the outside gives people a clearer sense of direction.

Different from the concrete arch. The sidewalk at the top, including columns, will be steel structure. This can reduce the weight of the structure itself, and the structure will look relatively light.

Because part of the structure of the project extends to the water, the corrosion of water to steel structure must be considered. So the column structure will be divided into two parts. The underwater part will be mainly concrete. This will not affect the appearance of this structure.

In addition to maintaining a sense of visual slimness and giving people a sense of direction, a rectangular frame is a good visual frame. Facing the sea, there is artificial fog on the water.

The experience space of the first part is not enough. I still hope that the whole project can have an interactive part with the terrain. So I expanded the curved walkway. The walkways in the two red areas follow the original natural terrain (the height is three meters and the length is more than 40 meters, which is suitable for people to walk). The middle curving part of the path is a flat platform, which is the highest point of the terrain.

The curve forms different pockets. It allows people having more experiencing tim in the cetain distance,comparing with the staight line.They are created by circles from small to large. The reason is I want to create an atmosphere change from narrow to broad. Every turn, people's visual experience and what they can see will gradually become more and more

Different forms of mangroves are grown around the whole project. One grows in or near water. The other is in the land. Artificial trees will hide in these mangroves along the coastline. With the help of the south wind in summer, artificial fog can cool the site. With the help of the north wind in winter, the artificial fog will be blown to the sea to bring a visual experience. The floating farm will be at the end of the aisle. On the path, people’s sight will gradually be blocked by mangroves and they can’t see the floating farm.

1. Toliet

2. Watching Tower

3. Floating farm

4. Floating bridge

5. Gallery Space

6. Walking Path

7. Main entrance

Different kinds of mangroves can be observed on both sides of the promenade. One grows in the water or near the shore, and the other grows in the soil with special roots. All experimental pods will be distributed on both sides of the streamline, so people will see mangroves of different species and growth periods.

Under each part of the facility extending towards the water surface, the oyster reef is fixed with a net structure and cleaned regularly. Light-transmitting curtains allow people to adjust their own viewing angle of mangroves.

CHAPTER3 Renders