Constructing Ecologies

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

BEIJING Between 2000-2009, Beijing’s city extents increased by 400%.

Alongside the often-discussed negative aspects of intensive urban growth and its impacts climatically, is the notorious title the city has as of the world’s most air polluted cities.

A study released by a team of researchers, led by Chen Songxi and from Peking University, mapped 3 years of air quality data in the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu & Shenyang.

They tracked the measure PM 2.5, a fine particulate matter which is deemed as hazardhous to human health. The data consistently showed elevated levels of PM 2.5 exceeding World Health Organization maximum levels up to 80% of the period measured.

The city’s geographic location, set in the Sichuan Basin, does not allow for sufficient natural dispersal of a build up of pollutants.

The sprawling city limits, with intensive industry and it’s related combustion processes is the least appropriate for the constraints imposed by its inherited topological climate.

The change in meteorology due to City form has meant that the surface albedo, wind speed, and humidity near the surface has decreased, while ground air temperatures, vertical air dilution and ozone levels have increased.

The levels of air pollution, fluctuating through influence of weather conditions and degrees of activity on the urban ground plane reached an apocalyptic worst case scenario towards the end of 2015. The city called a state of emergency when the dense cover of grey pollutants reached red-alert levels and forced the government to issue health warnings and urge people indoors to avoid exposure. The city does however, benefit from the respite of a winter north-westerly wind, where the impact of the foul industrial emissions are not as heavily experienced locally.

A C L I M AT I C & E C O L O G I C A L C R I S I S : D A N G E R O U S LY P O O R A I R Q U A L I T Y

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

N E W Y O R K C I T Y,

‘Despite improvements since the 1970s, air pollution remains a serious health threat for New York City residents.

The Health Department has estimated that ambient levels of fine particles (PM2.5) in 2005-2007 contributed to over 3,000 deaths in New York City annually.1 With the most local emissions per square mile of fine particles (PM2.5), or soot, of any large U.S. city,2 and a dense population that includes many who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution, more local action was needed to reduce levels and improve the health of New Yorkers’ – NYCCAS Survey extract New York City, similar to Beijing, has been challenged on its wasteful and harmful emission rates. It has been shown by NYCCAS report to have both a risk situation in terms of the PM2.5 levels, as well as a case of opportunity, in terms of how the report outlines how several simple reductions by the city’s PlaNYC program showed significant declines.

A C L I M AT I C & E C O L O G I C A L C R I S I S : D A N G E R O U S LY P O O R A I R Q U A L I T Y

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

BEIJING,

BEIJING MUNICIPALITY 39.9042° N, 116.4074° E Formerly Peking Capital City Population: 14 million ( 2nd largest city after Shanghai ) Elevation: 40-60 metres / 130-200 feet GEOGRAPHY Northern China edge of North China Plain ( a large alluvial plain formed by the deposits of the Yellow River as it opens out into the Yellow Sea & bounded by the Yanshan & Taihang Mountains to the north and west.)

The surrounding mountain ranges protect the city and its agricultural zone from the encroachment of the Gobi Desert Mongolian steppes. Multiple rivers intersect the expansive city plan.

CLIMATE Humid Continental Climate (Dwa) Koppen Classification Experienceng the East Asian Monsoon influencing humid summers, Sandstorms in Spring, and cold, windy, dry winters influenced by Siberian anticyclone

C O N T E X T U A L I S I N G T H E C O N D I T I O N I N R E L AT I O N T H E G R O W T H O F A C I T Y: S I T E A N A LY S I S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

N E W Y O R K C I T Y, NEW YORK STATE 40.7128° N, 74.0059° W

Population: 8.55 million ( largest city in United States) Elevation: 33 feet GEOGRAPHY Located in the Northeastern United States, in southeastern New York State, and surrounded by the brine waters of the Hudson River and the cold Atlantic Ocean. City’s land mass is composed of the islands of Long Island, Manhattan, and Staten Island.

CLIMATE Subtropical climate (Cfa) Koppen classification At the transitional zone between humid subtropical and humid continental climates Summers are typically hot and humid, winters are cold with rainfall and occasional snowfall.

The severity of the cold is minimized by the shielding of the Appalachian mountain ranges, but less so by the off-shore winds

C O N T E X T U A L I S I N G T H E C O N D I T I O N I N R E L AT I O N T H E G R O W T H O F A C I T Y: S I T E A N A LY S I S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

BEIJING Beijing is located on a north-south migratory route for a variety of migratory bird species. The city currently has a population of up to 430 bird species, both resident and migratory.

Of these, the large birds of prey, still attempt to call the new city limits their home.

Birdwatchers continue to report sightings, albeit with new perch locations on concrete pillars, electricity pylons and other large scale infrastructure.

Large and small birds struggle with similar threats in the city. These include illegal mist nets and poisoned bait, used to catch birds in migration season to sell as exotic pets or eat. Collisions with buildings or cars due to blinding by reflected light remains a constant.

SAKER FALCON Falco cherrug Native Partial Migrant Species Currently Endangered Habitat: Migratory ( summer – east Europe to asia, winter – Ethiopia, the arabian peninsula & western china) Nesting: The saker falcon prefers open terrain for hunting, such as forest steppe, desert steppe and arid montane areas (6). Nesting usually occurs in old abandoned nests of other birds situated on the ground, on cliffs, rocks, sandy precipices or trees, as well as on artificial structures such as poles, pylons and abandoned buildings Threats: Falconry Trade, predation (by eagle owls, steppe eagles and golden eagles)

NORTHERN GOSHAWK Accipiter gentilis Native Resident Species Least Concern(LC) on the IUCN Red List Habitat: Generally resident throughout year – northerly populations migrate ( large range – from north americ, Europe to northern asia) Habitat - mature woodland, both coniferous and deciduous, from lowlands into mountainous, subalpine areas. It particularly favours woodland edges that border open areas, and sometimes occurs in town parks Threats: Falconry Trade

C H A R A C T E R I Z I N G A S S O C I AT E D E C O L O G I E S : U R B A N & M I G R AT O R Y R A P T O R S

EASTERN BUZZARD Buteo Japonicus Native Partial Migrant Species Currently Endangered Habitat: all types of forests, as in the country or in mountains, but always close to open area.

Oriental Region: Breeds from the lake baikal area and mongolia east through amurland and northeastern china to sakhalin island, japan, and the kuril islands south to tibet and probably northwestern india; winters in southern asia from india to eastern and southern china, korea, and southern japan.

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

N E W YO R K C I T Y New York City lies on the Atlantic Flyway – a northsouth migratory corridor linking the warm South & Central Americas with the cold Arctic and Canada.

The city has been shown to critically affect these weary travelling flocks through: - The distracting and hypnotising effect of lighting in buildings. This is particularly harmful to the nocturnal migratory species who become disorientated and loose direction till the exhaust themselves and perish upon landing at ground level.

- Glass building facades both create distorted reflections of trees and their usual perch spots, as well as reflect light into their eyes or more serious injury with head-on collisions.

The city’s inhabitants have responded by taking part in Project Safe Flight – an initiative enforcing awareness and policy towards protection of the birdlife.

A common NYC urban resident is the Red-tailed Hawk. These birds build their nests on the ledges of high rise buildings – most famously exampled by the popular breeding pair on 5th Avenue.

‘Raptors that nest or perch on towers can become entangled in antenna cabling or in twine used as nesting material. Minimizing excess wires, securely attaching wires to the tower structure, and shrink wrapping or taping wires together to reduce the number of small spaces for raptors to insert wings, heads, or feet can lower the risk of entanglement.’

– Guidance provided by a concern group looking to legally protect nesting raptors on communication towers and related tall building platforms.

C H A R A C T E R I Z I N G A S S O C I AT E D E C O L O G I E S : U R B A N & M I G R AT O R Y R A P T O R S

RED-TAILED HAWK Buteo jamaicensis Native Resident Species Least Concern(LC) on the IUCN Red List Habitat: Widespread.

Prefers open country but is a native resident in urban New York City, often seen in the parks and perched on buildings Naturally found perched on telephones poles, fenceposts, or trees standing alone or along edges of fields.

Threats: Falconry Trade

BROAD-WINGED HAWK Buteo platypterus Native Migratory Species Least Concern(LC) on the IUCN Red List Habitat: Migratory Stay in areas up to an elevation of about 2,000 m (6,600 ft), preferring forest areas for nesting Threats: Falconry Trade

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

M AT E R I A L S Y S T E M S A S S O C I AT E D W I T H A I R P U R I F I C AT I O N

P R O G R A M M AT I C P R E C E D E N T S T U D I E S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

M AT E R I A L S Y S T E M S A S S O C I AT E D W I T H M I G R AT O R Y B I R D P R O T E C T I O N

P R O G R A M M AT I C P R E C E D E N T S T U D I E S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

BEIJING

B I O C L I M AT I C S T U D I E S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

N E W YO R K C I T Y

B I O C L I M AT I C S T U D I E S

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

This proposed parametric design is our response to polluted air quality in cities.

These wind funnel can be suspended between adjacent buildings, pull polluted air through and exhale clean air. The design also offers a sanctuary to bird who often are often most affected by the noxious air.

DESIGN PROPOSAL

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

Proformative Diagrams

Keeps birds Out

Wind Flow Studies

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Series of Filters at Pinch points

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

Parametric Design

LESS POLLUTED

MORE POLLUTED

SMALLER NEST

BIGGER NESTS

DESIGN PROPOSAL

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

I M P L E M E N TAT I O N

BUILT ECOLOGIES 1 ASSIGNMENT #5 CONSTRUCTING ECOLOGIES ______________________________________________________ Mandi Pretorius & Majid Javed

I M P L E M E N TAT I O N