ONTOLOGICAL LIBERATION HYBRID INFRASTRUCTURES FOR THE ANTHROPOCENE By Robert Peebles May 2021
Committee Chair: Michael Mcinturf Comittee Member: Elizabeth Riorden
Itztapalapa | @santiago_Arau - https://www.instagram.com/santiago_arau/
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01
Abstract
4
02 01
Metropolitan Scale
6
03 01
Constructed Relation of Water and Land
10
04 01
Site Selection
18
05 01
The Urban Plan
26
06 01
Architecture Objects
44
2
Mexico City’s Wealth Gap | Millefoto/REX - https://www.shutterstock.com/
ABSTRACT
At the dawn of the first urban century in human history, we are coming to understand the undeniable consequences of our occupation that has changed the record of geology and ecosystems on a planetary scale. Persistent and irrefutable marks providing evidence of these changes are the artefacts of the Anthropocene – a new geologic epoch born out of human’s ability to inflict ecological damage able to be seen through the lens of Deep Time. The Anthropocene thesis provokes designers to reevaluate fundamental attitudes, theories, and practices inherited from modernity. The term has fostered questions about the relationships and autonomy of politics, culture, and nature questioning the ontological structure of our urban environments. The previous models of urban construction prioritized the wellbeing of humans above all other factors – and placed the modes of production, productivity, agriculture, climate, water, and energy outside the bounds of the city. Bringing these concepts back into the core of the urban diagram represents a shift to create a Flat Ontology City. Restructuring the diagram’s core away from a concentric allocation where all nodes flow to one point – and instead, create a decentralized cloud where nodes previously found outside the city model take equal footing with human life. De-ontologizing our world view presents new understandings of the non-human agents that comprise our world and shows how these objects are entangled in a mesh to our own existence. Mexico City represents an excellent opportunity to test the design of this new diagram due to the inextricable link of the non-human actors (geology & the water cycle) the city has; and how it suffers from design’s refusal to acknowledge or incorporate these elements. Modern hydrologic infrastructure has become massive in scale, often taking traditional infrastructural forms, and blowing them up to monumental proportions but designed as a static single use object. When considering design as the creation of a static object, this notion becomes problematic when confronted with actors that operate as a mesh of relations to non-human objects. Objects within these interconnected sets of relations create a networked assemblage that opposes the modern idea of categorical distinctions and organizes hybrid subjects. This hybridity extends beyond questions of philosophy and extends to the assemblage that is architecture itself and how it shapes they city and landscapes. The infrastructure of the Anthropocene seeks to define an architectural subject beyond the human that creates an assemblage that addresses multi-scale territory and organic and inorganic actors producing opportunistic infrastructure that positively integrates with natural processes rather than disrupting them. This thesis seeks to formalize a monument and iconography that creates the Lake Chalco-Iztapalapa system’s physical manifestations and mark a change in the relationship to nature and emerging architectural hybridity with infrastructure that responds to the hybrid subjects of Mexico City’s Anthropocene period.
Abstract | 4
MEXICO HYDROLOGICAL DRAINAGE BASIN
CDMX CDMX MUNICIPALITIES 1
MILPA ALTA
20km
30km
2
TLALPAN
3
MAGDALENA CONTRERAS
4
ALVARO OBREGON
5
CUAJIMALPA DE MORELOS
6
MIGUEL HIDALGO
7
AZCAPOTZALCO
24 8
20
22
21 7 6
24 8 9
11
4
5
23
10
19
12
18
14
13
24 16 3
15 2
CDMX CDMX METROPOLITAN AREA Locating Mexico City
24
1
17
GUSTAVO A. MADERO
9
CUAUHTEMOC
10
VENUSTIANO CARRANZA
11
BENITO JUAREZ
12
IZTACALCO
13
COYOACAN
14
IZTAPALAPA
15
XOCHIMILCO
24 16
TLAHUAC
CDMX METROPOLITAN AREA MUNICIPALITIES 17
VALLE DE CHACLO
18
LA PAZ
19
NETZAHUALCOYOTL
20
ECATEPEC
21
TLALNEPANTLA
22
ATENCO
23
TEXCOCO
24
CHIMALHUACAN
10km
20km
30km
PROJECT SITE
10km 10km
The Valley of Mexico
Metropolitan Scale | 6
3
Landmarks of Mexico City
14
1
BASILICA OF OUR LADY GUADALUPE
2
PLAZA OF THE THREE CULTURES
3
AIRPORT
4
ZOCALO
5
PALACIO DE BELLAS ARTES
6
ANGLE OF INDEPENDENCE STATUE
7
CHAPULTEPEC CASTLE
24 8
13
CASA ESTUDIO LUIS BARRAGAN
9
FRIDA KAHLO MUSEUM
10
UNAM
11
XOCHIMILCO
12
LAKE CHALCO
13
LAKE TEXCOCO
14
EL CARACOL
PROJECT SITE
12
10km 10km
Metropolitan Scale | 8
Locating Mexico City
1350
1520
1750
1850
1950
2010
1910
1950
1970
The Valley of Mexico
1990 Constructed Relation of Water and Land | 10
Strategies of Incarceration for Water
1350 DIKE OF NETZAHUALCOYOTL
1520
GRAN CANAL DEL DESAGUE
1750
2010
Section of the Lakes Over Time
TUNEL EMISOR ORINETE
Constructed Relation of Water and Land | 12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Geologic Section Cuts of the Valley of Mexico
LACUSTRINE AND ALLUVIAL DEPOSITES
BASALTIC AQUIFER
AQUIFER IN LACUSTRINE DEPOSITS
GRANULAR AQUIFER 1
BEDROCK
VOLCANIC ROCKS OF THE LOWER TERTIARY
2
3
5 4
6 7
Geologic Map of the Valley of Mexico
Constructed Relation of Water and Land | 14
F
R ATE W M
O RO OF
R
STO
AL
N CA O T IN
S
E AG WE
SE
AIN DR
ET
R ATE W M
RE FST
O
R STO R ATE W ES VID TS O PR CKE U A B PIP
UA AQ
RAS
G NE
RA
D AIN
M
Informal Settlement Water Cycle
GE INA
OU
F TO
Y
CIT
HIDALGO STATE
MEXICO STATE
MEZQUITAL VALLY
MEXICO STATE
MICHOACAN STATE
Mexico City Outside Itself
CUTZAMALA SYSTEM Constructed Relation of Water and Land | 16
TER WA
N
O ATI ILTR
F
UN
IN TER A DW
O GR
E
NC
E SID
B
SU
STO
GY OLO
GE
E
TUN
R
ISO
M LE
N
SS MA
O ATI IGR
M
N
O ATI Z I N
OLO
C ISH
N
N SPA Mexico Cities Hydrologic Mesh of Realtions
AQ
X
RE
E UIF
O CTI A R T
IMP
GE OR AL
AN DC
AN GR
LB
A RM
O
INF
ING
D UIL
O
TEN
N
TLA
TI CH
IC
TOR HIS
RA
GE INA
D LEY
BED
E
G DIN
O
FLO
E LAK
H HIG
CE RFA
R ATU R E P
TEM
SU
VAL
R ATE W D
RTE PO
Site Selection | 18
01
ECOLOGICAL RESERVE OF PEDREGAL DE SAN
02
LA CAJA DE AGUE
03
TUNEL EMISOR ORIENTE
04
MOLIONO DEL REY
05
INTERCEPTOR PONIENTE
06
GRAND CANAL DE DESAGUE
07
SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
08
EL CONSULADO RIVER
09
LA PIEDAD RIVER
10
EL CARACOL
11
LAKE CHALCO
12
LAKE TEXCOCO
Typologies of Water Infrastructure
Systems Diagram of Water Infrastructure
2
5
24 10 3 8 6 7 4 12 9
1
PROJECT SITE
11
Site Selection | 20
A VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS B SLOPES C LAHAR SLOPES D WEST BASIN - FRESH WATER E EAST BASIN - SALT WATER F XOCHIMILCO
D C
E
B
F
A
STORE AREA OF POROUS DELAY VOLCANIC VOLCANIC ROCK SLOPES WHERE RETAIN OFFERING RUNOFF PICKS HIGHEST START OF URBAN UP SPEED AND INFILTRATION AREAS, SLOPES BEGIN IS UNABLE TO BE TO LEVEL OUT AND RETAINED GEOLOGY GRADIENTS BETWEEN VOLCANIC ROCK AND OLD LAKE B C A BEDS RAIN
Occupying the Gradient
D
F
REUSE HEAVY URBAN ZONES, WITH LITTLE POROUS GROUND LEFT. SOIL IS BUILT UP FROM LAKE BEDS AND FLOODING AND OFFERS NO INFILTRATION. AREAS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO SUBSIDENCE
E
Creating an Autonomous Water Zone
PROJECT SITE BREAK THE DRAINIAGE INFRASTRUCTURE BREAK THE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE
Site Selection | 22
Iztapalapa | Photo Beto - https://www.istockphoto.com/
Filling Cistern | Dario Lopes-Mills Associated Press - https://therevelator.org/mexico-politics-water/
Boy Checks Roof Cistern | Josh Haner New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/ interactive/2017/02/17/world/americas/mexico-city-sinking.html
Site Selection | 24
2
LAKE CHALCO
1
CONTAINED DRAINAGE BASIN
3
SEWEAGE FILTRATION
5
DAM
4 6
VOLCANO BASIN
NATURAL TERRACE FILTERING
7
CLEAN WATER LAKE
8 CLEAN WATER AQUEDCUT
10
AQUIFER INFILTRATION
9
STORM WATER COLLECTION
7 6
4 5
3
2
The Iztapalapa - Chalco System Componenets
Urban Plan | 26
Iztapalapa as it Exists Now
Urban Plan | 28
3
1 2
Proposed Urban Plan for Iztapalapa
1
TRANSIT/ AQUEDUCT
4 2
3
SCHOOL
PEDESTRIAN / AQUEDUCT
4
SERVICES / DRAIN
Urban Plan | 30
SCHOOL
5 MINUTE RADIUS
INTERSECTIONS
DISTRIBUTION ZONE
Creation of Water Provision Districts
SCHOOL
5 MINUTE RADIUS
INTERSECTIONS
DISTRIBUTION ZONE
Urban Plan | 32
Distribution of Water Provision Districts
Urban Plan | 34
WALKING ROUTES
TRANSIT LINES
Overhead Water Supply Diagrams
10Om
TRANSIT LINES SUPPORT SPACING
24m
WALKING ROUTES SUPPORT SPACING
30m 27m 24m 21m 18m 15m 12m 9m 6m 3m 0m
Urban Plan | 36
Overhead Water Supply Transit/Pedestrian Plan
Urban Plan | 38
1
2
3
3
L
OO
H SC
6
4
LK WA
1
3D Axon of a Water Provision Distrcit
4
5
6
E AG
AIN DR
LS
NE
TUN
ES
IN IT L
S
N TRA
5
Y DR
UN / LA
M
O RO H T BA
S ATH P G
KIN
2
Urban Plan | 40
Location of On-the-Ground Interventions
Urban Plan | 42
CISTERN REFILL
VERTICAL TRANSITION
BATHROOM/ LAUNDRY
Typologies of the Itztapalapa - Chalco System
SCHOO
OL
AQUEDUCT/ PREDESTRIAN
AQUEDUCT/ TRANSIT Architecture Objects | 44
LAUNDRY
BATHROOM
FILTER BEDS DRAIN TO TUNNEL SYSTEM STORM WATER COLLECTION
Bathroom/ Laundry Typology
Architecture Objects | 46
Architecture Objects | 48
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY
STAIRS SUPPORT FRAME ELEVATOR
DRAIN TO TUNNEL SYSTEM FILTER BEDS
Vertical Circulation Typology
STORM WATER COLLECTION Architecture Objects | 50
Architecture Objects | 52
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY
WATER TAP
CANOPY
DRAIN TO TUNNEL SYSTEM
CISTERN FILL LOCATION
Water Provision Typology
Architecture Objects | 54
School / Water Provision, Storage, and Filtration / Public - Private Bathhouse Typology
PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY
TRANSIT LINE
SCHOOL
GROUND PLANE INTERVENTION
Architecture Objects | 56
BATHROOMS CHANGING ROOMS SHOWERS
SEQUENTIAL FILTER BEDS PUBLIC BATH STORM WATER RETURN ELEVATOR CISTERN FILL LOCATION PUBLIC ASSEMBLY SPACE PRIVATE BATHS
AQUIFER INFILTRATION POINT OPEN AIR MARKET / STORM WATER
Architecture Objects | 58
Architecture Objects | 60
Architecture Objects | 62
Architecture Objects | 64