Year 4 Portfolio
Tobias Evan Himawan 20090543 Unit 18 : Neo Ecological Myths Ricardo de Ostos + Isaie Bloch
BARC0174 2020
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The Metaphors Metaphor as an Idea Generator
Energy as a Forest Towards the Renewable Transition
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London as a Forest
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Planting a Fungi
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Language of the Forest
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Into the Soil
Reconnecting the Capital
Contextual Insertion
A Spatial Translation
A Reconnection in the Park
Ephemeral Interconnection Planting a Societal Reconnection
The forest is an interconnected and democratic ecosystem. Beneath the soil, participation, communication, and nutrient transfer occur as means of maintaining the resilience of the forest, all enabled by an underground network formed by the fungi. In the era of renewable transition, the urban relationship with its energy system is once again being challenged, and slowly transforming into a forest-like ecosystem. With the abundance of energy resources provided from the surrounding natural phenomenon, individual households - like individual trees - are able to participate in decentralised energy generation and be connected to the grid. While the transition is rapidly happening through the emerging infrastructures, are the cultural transition towards an energy democracy happening alongside it? Deep within London, claimed as one of the world’s most sustainable cities, the project proposes a planting of a new social superstructure, a fungi, that aims to reconnect the city’s society with the energy system on social and cultural level, inviting public’s participation through education and activism. Its insertion into the Olympic Park, forming a symbiosis with the landscape, curates new movements for the park visitors, creating opportunities of encountering the building’s programme and its two user groups; the researchers and the activists, inviting their participation towards the future energy society.
Introduction
The Metaphors Metaphor as an Idea Generator
Introduction
Forest Metaphor Interconnected, Democratic “A tree is not a forest. On its own, a tree cannot establish a consistent local climate. It is at the mercy of wind and weather. But together, many trees create an ecosystem that moderates extremes of heat and cold, stores a great deal of water, and generates a great deal of humidity... Every tree, therefore, is valuable to the community and worth keeping around for as long as possible” - Peter Wohlleben in “The Hidden Life of Trees” The forest is a community, with every member valued to maintain the ecosystem. Even a dying ancient stump are nurtured by the surrounding trees, given energy so they may survive. This energy transfer occurs due to the interconnection of the roots or with help of a fungal network. Together, the forest harvest nutrients from nature, divide equally among them to the extent of synchronising their photosynthesis. A tree is only as strong as the forest surrounding it.
Above: Peter Wohlleben - the Hidden Life of Trees
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Symbiosis of Plant and Fungi 7
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Chapter One
Energy as a Forest Towards the Renewable Transition
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Chapter One
Three Major Leaps:
Energy and Society
...
Vaclav Smil argued that there are three major leaps that transforms the way we harness energy; from manpower to animal domestication and agriculture, to harnessing wind and water, and ultimately harnessing organic hydrocarbons. Leslie White, in his seminal ‘Energy and the Evolution of Culture’ essay further argues that our increasing 12
ways of harnessing energy affords our cultural progression, creating new social structures. Our culture, thus, can be seen as ‘a form or organisation of energy’. However, as argued also by Timothy Mitchell, the increasing distance between energy production and consumption causes societal discourses both in the city and the place of production.
Chapter One
Above: Energy Transitions and the Relation with Society
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Chapter One
Towards an Energy Forest?
...
Like the forest, renewable technologies and the smart grid technology now allows for decentralised generation, where every household can now participate into the energy generation. UNFCC also plans to further establish an interconnection between countries, to allow equal distribution and to overcome the intermittency of renewable generation. Thus, many argues that this would bring a new wave of democracy in energy, transforming the world similarly into a forestlike energy system. But can the society also transition into this future along with the physical infrastructure?
Above: Domestic Photovoltaic Cell Contributing to Democratic Production
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Planned Global Interconnection 15
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Chapter Two
London as a Forest Reconnecting the Capital
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Chapter Two
Britain’s Renewable Distribution 18
Chapter Two
Outsourcing Renewables
...
London continues its claim as one of the world’s most sustainable cities. However, its massive consumption of 40,000 GWh per annum and its limited land means that almost of its renewable energy are imported from elsewhere in the country through the grid. Even more concerningly, in reality, only the consumption of the boroughs highlighted above are met with around 10% from renewable energy.
Above: London Borough with Consumption Met by Renewables
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Chapter Two
Privatised Supply
...
With energy generation located outside the capital, its supply, since the privatisation act in 1990s, is at no longer at the control of the public. Today, 72% of the energy supply in the capital dominated by ‘the Big Six’, a group of major private energy companies, which raises questions on whether investments in renewable and affordable energy for the country are allocated within their profit.
Above: Energy Flow to London
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Chapter Two
Uneven Distribution
...
Arguably, the result of privatisation is also interrelated with the increasing fuel poverty cases in London itself, affecting more than 300,000 households. Fuel poverty not only disconnect the communities affected through energy, but also distancing them from society due to the number of related problems along with it, such as poverty, mental health issues, and even excess winter deaths.
Above: Map of Fuel Poverty
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Chapter Two
Reconnecting the Public
...
London’s renewable transition opens the door for the public to regain their control over the energy system, with increasing decentralised generation that can reduce the reliance on privatised power generation. The public voice through activist campaign such as Switched On London has also managed to push the authority to 22
launch a municipal energy company, London Power, that arguably signifies the returning of the system to the public. However, unlike the technology and infrastructure, this societal transition is happening slower despite the high public approval level towards the renewable technology.
Chapter Two
Reclaiming the System
Municipal Energy Supply
Recently launched London Power (2020)
Decentralised Generation
Community Renewables, Domestic PV Installation
Active Participation
Energy Activism, Donations towards Fuel Poverty
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The Brief as an Interconnection of Two Polemic Dimensions 24
Chapter Two
Project Brief
...
Thus, the project aim to offer a new ‘energy superstructure’ that compliments the development of renewable infrastructure to further advance the societal transition towards energy democracy. Referring back to the forest metaphor. the project aim to act as a ‘fungi’ that functions as a space of reconnection across two social dimensions; a vertical one, between individuals and nature as their energy source, and a horizontal dimension, between society and the energy system.
Above: Project Aim Diagram
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Chapter Two
Organisations
Activism
Public
Education / Research
Researchers
Interconnected Protagonists
...
The project then introduces the ‘protagonists’ or potential building users that serves as advocates of the new social transition to engage and educate the public. Here, two user groups are chosen; UKERC as researcher and educator, and activist organisations, taking precedent from existing organisations such as Platform London and Fuel Poverty Action. The two groups, accommodated within the building, are interconnected in roles to engage the public as the main target
Above: Interconnected Relations between Users and Target (Public)
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The Roles of the Proposed Users 27
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Chapter Three
Planting a Fungi Contextual Insertion
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Chapter Three
Above: Newham Fuel Poor Borough (source: Newham Council)
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Chapter Three
>64 7.6%
0-15 22.1%
BAME Population 72.4% 16-64 70.3% Age Group
Diversity
Other 25.4%
One Family 48.5%
£
52%
One Person 26.1% Child Poverty
Household Composition
14%
12th 317
National Districts
Unemployment
Deprivation Rank
Newham as Test-bed
...
Newham is currently London’s most fuel poor borough with 16% of fuel poverty, along with being one of the most deprived area in the city. With its young and diversed population, Newham becomes an ideal site to produce and spread a new energy conscious culture to the rest of the capital, and even globally.
Above: Newham Demographic Profile (image source: Google Earth)
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Chapter Three
Finding Newham’s ‘Root Tip’
...
Located at the ‘root tip’ of Newham, in which incoming investments, interaction with other boroughs, as well as connection with nature are located, the contextual choice of the project is the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Built for the 2012 London Olympic and reopened in 2013-14, the park is one of the successful examples of legacy development in the world. The park’s ongoing legacy development, including 5 new neighbourhoods, will provide the cultural exposure to the project, with 34 million visits to the park in 2020 alone.
Above: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as the ‘root tip’
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Root Insertion 33
Existing and Future Programmes 34
Chapter Three
Cultural Epicentre
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The park is also projected to become a cultural hub of future London with the ongoing construction of East Bank, seeking to house a wide range of cultural institutions including Victoria and Albert Museum East, Sadler’s Wells Ballet Company, and the BBC relocation of its Maida Vale Studios. The park is also a hub of educational institutions, with UCL East and UAL College of Fashion seeking to be relocated into the area.
Above: Demographic of the Park
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Chapter Three
1
2
3
1
2
Landscape
3
Plaza
Amphitheatre
A Park Insertion
...
The chosen site is located towards the north of the park, on a site next to the East Cross Bridge and is adjacest to the Timber Lodge, a cafe and community centre. The site also borders with the park’s wetlands habitat and within a close proximity to the River Lea. The existing programme around the site and its spatial typologies provide a context to be incorporated into the design.
Above: Existing Activities and Spatial Typologies
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2
3
1
1
2
3
Site Location and Images 37
Chapter Three
Interconnecting Programmes
...
The insertion of the building into the park programme allows the main users of the building (the activists and the researcher) to converse daily with the passing visitors of the park. The potential of this overlapping programmes are proposed utilising the park’s popular visiting hours, to insert the educational and activism programme into the typical activities around the area. As such, some of these programmes are potentially held outdoors to maximise public participation, while the building also provide enclosed internal areas to house the more private programmes. Above: Timeline throughout the Day
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Chapter Three
Proposed Programmatic Intervention 39
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Chapter Four
Language of the Forest A Spatial Translation
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Spatial Principles from the Fungi 42
Chapter Four
MAXXI Museum - Zaha Hadid
Overlapping ‘Strands’ of Movement
MOCAPE - Coop Himmelb(l)au
Concentrated Central Movement
Icefjord Center - Dorte Mandrup
Confetti of Programmes Along Circulation
Translating Movements
...
The metaphor is spatially translated as a method of engaging the public with the proposed building programme, activating the building itself passively as both an educator and an activist. The spatial language of the fungi; of insertion/attachment to the root tip, its curated movement of nutrients and impulses through its strands (hyphae); become the spatial principles for the building. Building precedents that also curate movements as an engagement with its programme is also studied, presenting different ways of intertwining programmatic functions with public circulation. Above: Chunk Principles + Components
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Chapter Four
Roof Defining Experience
Walls Walkway
Dividing Programme
Public Insertion
Landscape Defining Movement
Initial Explorations
...
The initial spatial exploration in Term 1 derives from the movement of ‘nutrients’ along the fungi. The public as the ‘nutrient’ is guided through the space through a series of elevated walkways, undulating landscape and roof, to create an experience of porous movement, while the walls not only redirecting movements but also creating spaces of dwelling to host congregational programme. Ideas such as dispersal and concentrated movement created by the synthesis of walls, roofs, landscapes, and walkways were also tested to explore spatial possibilities and translation of an interconnected network Above: Chunk Principles + Components
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Chapter Four
Experiment 01 - Concentration Experiment 01 work with the idea of concentrating movement by compressing spatial experience through an ascending landscape and descending the roof
Experiment 02 - Dispersion Experiment 02 in contrast in an excersise of creating a dispersed experience, opening up the roof and pushing down the landscape, leading to a celebratory destination
Experiment 03 - Spatial Journey The final spatial exploration combines both the idea of concentration and dispersion to test a spatial journey through a series of ascending and descending landscape, complimented by varying roof heights as well as meandering circulation created by the walls and walkways. 45
Chapter Four
Spatial Possibilities 46
Chapter Four
Spatial Possibilities 47
Chapter Four
Developing Spatial Language
...
This initial language is then further explored and refined into a massing strategy in Term 2, to engage more with the landscape of the site. Here, the idea of fragmentation on the peripheral and an intersectional central space that derives from the ‘nodes’ of the fungal hyphae begins to be engaged as a way to reach out and draw the movement of the public into a central congregational space.
Above: Artefact Drawings
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Chapter Four
Artefact 01
Artefact 02
Intersection with the Park A series of spatial artefacts exploring how the public movement of the park can be interlinked with the building’s landscape and openair programme 50
Spatial Artefacts 51
Spatial Artefacts 52
Chapter Four
Artefact 03
Artefact 04
Intersection with Enclosed Spaces Artefacts showing experiments with increasing the public porosity of otherwise private / semi-private programmes, inviting public participation through movement 53
Chapter Four
The Central Node
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The intersection of the strands is then further developed into the idea of a ‘Central Node’, which houses an interaction between the public and the users, as well as with nature through exposure to sun, wind, and water. Here, the walls, roof, walkways, and landscape merge into a singular centralised dwelling space where the movement of the public stops, and the opportunity of education / activism begins
Above: Diagram of Central Node Artefact
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Central Node Artefacts 55
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Chapter Five
Into the Soil A Reconnection in the Park
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Chapter Five
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Chapter Five
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A Forest Discovery An insertion / attachment, an object of the landscape, the building is discovered as one moves from one point to the other, consciously / unconsciously participating by doing so 60
Site Plan
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A Network in the Park Like a fungal relationship in the forest, the building inserts and attaches itself to the movement of the context, forming a spatial symbiosis with the commuting visitors 62
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Global Axonometric - Structural Strategy 64
Chapter Five
Glass Skylight
Sweet Chestnut Cladding
Steel Plate
Glue Laminated Timber Main Structural Material
Ferrock-Mixed Concrete
Materiality
...
The materiality of the building derives from its surroundings, predominantly timber cladded to also blend with the surrounding trees. Sweet Chestnut as a local species is chosen due to its durability, but also its aging quality that turns grey after long exposure to weather. The timber mass is then ‘inserted’ with steel plate where the circulation happens, signifying the insertion of public movement into the programme
Above: Central Node Material Make Up
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A Descent from the City Latching onto the East Cross Bridge, the landscape expands to invite public to descend from the bridge onto the courtyard and into the central node 67
Long S
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Curious Encounters
Section
s through the Fungi
Long Section A-A’
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An Ascent from the Landscape In contrast, the experience coming out of the wetlands and the open green space requires an ascend through a series of staircases embedded into the ground 70
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6
7 5
8 4
2
3
1
10
11
12
13
9
14
Plan Level GF (1:500 @ A3) 1
Central Node
8
Toilets
2
Auditorium
9
Event Space
3
Storage / Change
10
Small Office
4
Lobby
11
Activist Office A
5
Library
12
Toilets
6
Private Study
13
Activist Office B
7
Server Room
14
Storage 0
72
5
25 m
Chapter Five
Discovery Image
Unexpected Journey Inserted into the landscape, the building can be unexpectedly encountered, revealing its space behind the trees as the public explore the pathways
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Chapter Five
Programmatic Arrangement
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The spatial organisation of the building is divided according to the user and their programme into two wings, stitched at the centre with the central node. Circulatory ‘strand’ stretching through the middle of the two wings allow public movement to penetrate, cutting through the otherwise private programme, inviting their participation before congregating at the central node.
Above: User-Public Interrelation
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Global Axonometric - Spatial Arrangement 75
2
3 1
4
6
5
7 11
8
9
10
Plan Level -1 (1:500 @ A3) 1
Central Node
8
Pantry
2
Auditorium
9
Fire Escape
3
Storage
10
Toilets
4
MEP
11
Courtyard
5
Lobby
6
Meeting Room
7
Seminar Rooms 0
76
5
25 m
5
4
3
2
6
1
Plan Level +1 (1:500 @ A3) 1
Observatory Deck
2
Public Deck
3
Research Cluster
4
Archive / Storage
5
Private Office
6
Toilet
0
5
25 m
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A Network of Da
aily Programme
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A Heated Debate As the sun shines, the Central Node is activated into a hotbed of education and activism events, sitting at the centre of the dynamic movement in and around the building 80
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Chapter Five
A
Sunlight Louvre
Bearings Marine Grade Joining Axle Aluminum Frame
Reflective Steel Louvre
Aluminum Window Frame 400 x 400mm Glue-laminated Compression Ring
A
20mm Tempered Single Glazed Glass Aluminum Ribs
Supporting Ribs
Summer Position
Winter Position
In the summer, the sky louvre is raised up to 60° to filter some of the high sun angle from the, preventing the space from overheating while still allowing the space to be fully illuminated by the natural light.
During winter times, both the lowered louvre and the sun catcher wall work together to help reflect the low sun angle into the space, allowing the sun radiation to also help heat the semi-enclosed space.
Weather Phenomenon
...
The central node not only ‘actively’ reconnect the public to the energy system through providing a congregational space for education and activism, but also ‘passively’ become an educator/activist itself. Allowing interaction with the local weather phenomenon, the building engage the public and user with the surrounding energy flow, reconnecting them to energy philosophically.
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B
Chapter Five
B
Rainwater Channel / Ventilation Louvre
4 5
1
C
3 2
1. 50mm Perforated Steel Floor 2. Aluminum Ventilation Louvre 3. Glulam Compression Ring 4. Waterproof Layer 5. Aluminum Skylight Frame 6. 20mm Single Glazed Safety Glass
C
Rainwater Channel
4 5 1
6
2 3
1. 10mm Single Glazed Safety Glass 2. Aluminum Window Ribs 3. Aluminum Window Frame 4. Glue-laminated Timber Frame 5. 3mm Recycled Steel Sheet 6. 2mm Water Channel Section B-B’ Scale 1:50 0
500
2500 mm
Scale 1:20 0
200
1000 mm
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84
Nature’s Play As the rain comes, nature takes over the space, inviting the public to re-communicate and re-contemplate on their relation with them 85
A
1
B 1
2 3
2 3
4
5
4 5
6
1. Timber Roof Cap, Waterproof Layer 2. 150mm Warm Roof Insulation 3. Vapour Barrier 4. 300mm Hemp Insulation
5. Rainwater Gutter 6. Steel H Beam
1. Waterproof Layer 2. 50mm Concrete Render 3. 150mm Blockwork 4. Concrete Window Sill 5. Secant Pile Cavity Drainage Channel
Scale 1:20 0
200
1000 mm
A
86
Animated Ceiling Presence of water interplays with sunlight and moved by the wind to animate the ceiling of the library, bringing the weather in
B
Opening Enclosures
...
Section C-C’
The two wings, although enclosed to maintain the thermal comfort of the users, remains responsive to nature, maximising the use of sunlight and daylight, as well as utilising water features to bring the weather in through animated reflection. The light opening also allows visibility for the public from the deck, curiously looking from the outside into the activities hold within.
Scale 1:100 0
1000
5000 mm
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Beneath the Soil Ultimately, the true established connection lies beyond what is visible, and happen as the public leave and ponders on their position in the energy system, and towards their future 88
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Selected Bibliography Burke, Matthew J. and Jennie C. Stephens, “Political Power and Renewable Energy Futures: a Critical Review”, Energy Research & Social Science, Vol.35 No.1 (2018) Lakoff, George and Mark Johnson, Metaphors We Live By (London: The University of Chicago Press, 1980) Meadows, Donella H., Thinking in Systems (London: Earthscan, 2008) Mitchell, Timothy, Carbon Democracy: Political Power in the Age of Oil (London: Verso 2013) Smil, Vaclav, “World History and Energy”, Enclyclopedia of Energy, Vol. 6 No. 1 (2004), 549-561 Smil, Vaclav, Power Density (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2015) Stephens, Jennie C., “Energy Democracy: Redistributing Power to the People through Renewable Transformation”, Environment, Vol. 61 No. 2 (2019), 4-13 White, Leslie A., “Energy and the Evolution of Culture”, American Anthropologist, Vol.45 No. 3 (1943), 335-356 Wohlleben, Peter, The Hidden Life of Trees (Berkeley: Greystone Books, 2016)
Figure List P.6 <heartofenglandforest.com>, <flickr.com/photos/ whiddenlf/48021957251> P.12-13 Mesolithic Living <history.com>, Serfdom in Tsarist Russia <wikipedia.com>, Coal Miners <britannica.com>, Extinction Rebellion Oil Protest <telegraph.co.uk> P.22-23 Municipal Energy Supply <cityam.com>, Decentralised Generation <kingston.ac.uk>, Active Participation <fuelpovertyaction.org.uk> P.26 – Organisations <guerillagfoundation.org>, Public <theguardian.com>, Researcher <ucl.ac.uk> P.36 Landscape <by author>, Plaza <alamy.com>, Amphitheatre <davisla. wordpress.com> P.43 MAXXI Museum <dezeen.com>, MOCAPE <julienlanoo.com>, Icefjord Center <inhabitat.com>
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T.
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