10pilot thesis draft

ICELAND: ENERGY AS LANDSCAPE A EXPLORATION OF THE SYNERGISTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANDSCAPE AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

PILOT THESIS

WENQIAN WANG MAUD DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

ICELAND: ENERGY AS LANDSCAPE A EXPLORATION OF THE SYNERGISTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANDSCAPE AND GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

SUBMITTED BY Wenqian Wang SUPERVISOER Dr. Minna Sunikka-Blank COURSE DIRECTOR Ingrid Schröder

WORDS: PILOT THESIS: 2015-2016

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For their interest and guidance •Karl Benediktsson •Edda R.H. Waage •Keith Lee For his professionalism and involvement •Aram Mooradian For their love and support: •Family •Friends

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

STRUCTURE

TABLE OF CONTENT

This Pilot Thesis aims at an objective understanding of the relationship between Icelandic landscape and its energy exploitation.

It begins with the descriptions of Icelandic national perception of its' magnificent landscapes and then presents the architecture and landscape conflicts which stems from the booming of renewable energy exploration

INTRODUCTION

I. LANDSCAPE AS A CROWD SYMBOL

II. INDUSTRIAL AND ARCHITECTURAL PROVOCATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

III. PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECT: A SELF SUFFICIENT GEOTHEMAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

A TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR FUTURE

INTRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE LAST DECADE, INCREASING ATTENTION HAS BEEN DRAWN TOWARDS ICELAND, AN ISLAND A FOURTH THE SIZE OF UK WITH A DISPROPORTIONATE POPULATION OF 325,671. ICELAND IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS INHOSPITABLE, ITS VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE ARE SUBLIME WITH ALMOST EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL QUALITY COMPLEMENTED BY ITS ATMOSPHERE WITH OTHERWORLDLY AURORA BOREALIS.ICELAND’S REMOTENESS AND EXTREME ENVIRONMENT MEANT THAT ITS THE LAST OF FEW PLACES ON EARTH THAT ARE LARGELY WILD, UNSPOILED AND PRISTINE, OFFERING AN IDEAL SETTING FOR THE CRITICAL STAGING OF THE RENDEZVOUS BETWEEN THE NATURAL AND THE ARTIFICIAL.

TERRITORIAL CONDITION

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

INTRODUCTION

ICELAND

UNITED KINGDOM

Area

103,001KM2

242,495KM2

Coastline

4,970KM

17,820 KM

Max. Height

Ben Nevis 1344M

Average Height

Havannadalshnukur 2,110M 557M

Agricultural Area

1%

70%

Forest

1.2%

12%

Water

2.7%

-

Glacier

14.3%

0%

162M

GEOLOGICAL MOVEMENT POLICIES NETWORK

MAP.1: [GIS DATA _ ICELAND AND EUROPE]

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TERRITORIAL CONDITION

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

INTRODUCTION

TERRITORIAL DATA Population

323,002

Density

3.2 Inhab./KM2

Urban Population

93.7%

GDP

51,262$ / Capita

Languages

Icelandic

Foreigners

6.7%

Migration

3.4%

Average Winter Temperature

-10ยบC to 0ยบC

Average Summer Temperature

10ยบC to 25ยบC

Annual Precipitation

800MM to 1940MM

Bordered by : Atlantic Ocean Norwegian Sea Acrossing Eurasian and American Plates 290KM to its closest land Greenland 420KM to its closest Europe land Faroe Islands

MAP.2: [GIS DATA _ ICELAND TERRITORY AND MARITIME CONNECTION]

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

AN ENERGY LANDSCAPE

INTRODUCTION

Unlike other countries, landscape is a distinctive national identity for Iceland’s culture and society. Iceland’s main industry is very much defined by its landscape. Geothermal and hydropower stations dots the landscape as a result of targeted industrial development. The energy resources in Iceland are vastly under utilised. After financial crisis in 2008, Iceland planed to export its abundant energy sources as a new economic type to boost local economy. Several cases of liquid hydrogen exportation to Netherland provided successful precedents of energy exchange.

Unique opportunities therefore arise in the form of demand for harmonic integration between energy exploitation and landscape preservation if not enhancement.

Energy landscape, a form of landscape architecture still in its infancy is a topic encapsulating multidimensional problem of spatial, environmental, economic, energy, feasibility and particularly for Iceland, survival concerns. Iceland would very much collapse without its renewables. Can landscape architecture strike a balance between these concerns? What are the trade-offs for each concern, how can environmental impact be minimised, how does such minimisation affect other concerns? Can a synergistic solution that addresses all be found?

In Harvard GSD’s published book New Geographies-Landscapes of Energy, a wide range of themes relate to energy landscapes of oil exploration have beed discussed. There is next to nothing about geothermal energy, however ideas can still be drawn that geothermal energy to some extent is the derivative of oil consumption. Paralleled commonalities on environment, urbanism, social, economic and technologies can be seen both in geothermal and oil. One of the essay Energy as a Spatial Project by Rania Ghosn proposes an unique overview that for the land where human habit, energy landscape should be treated as spatial condition.

The beginning is worth thinking over: "Energy needs space. It exploits space as a resource, a site of production, a transportation channel, an environment for consumption, and a place for capital accumulation. Whether oil pipelines, dams, solar panels, nuclear plants, or wind parks, all industrial energy systems deploy space, capital, and technology to construct their geographies of power and inscribe their technological order as a mode of organization of social, economic, and political relations. Popular taxonomies of energy have tended, however, to blur the distinctions between different modes and instead emphasize a renewable/nonrenewable binary that dismisses continuities between the conventional and its alternatives in an anticipation of a future beyond oil. Although essential to the production of energy, space has played a role in the myth of ecologically benign economic growth, because the creation of value in energy regimes has long internalized benefits and accrued them to the urban center while 'externalizing' costs-sliding them to the periphery, out of sight".

IMG.2: [GEOTHERMAL PLANT & LANDSCAPE]

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

METHOD + STRUCTURE

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION •General Bcakground •Territory Condition •Precedent:GSD Oil Landscape Research •Method & Structure

I. LANDSCAPE AS ICELANDIC CROWD SYMBOL ICELAND LANDSCAPE: CULTURE AND LITERATURE REVIEW •Definition of Crowd Symbol •Icelandic Mythodology with Landscape •Saga and Romantic Poems with Landscape •Landscape in Modern Novels and Movies •National Policy for Landscape Preservation

II. INDUSTRIAL AND ARCHITECTURAL PROVOCATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

CONTENT

ICELAND LANDSCAPE: ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNIQUES REVIEW •Energy Landscape and Energy Consumption •Influences of Energy Exploitation •Cases Analysis •Techniques •Architecture Co-habitation

III. PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECT: A SELF SUFFICIENT GEOTHEMAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE •Brief •Site Analysis •Existing Power Plant •Landscape Imitation •Proposed Ideas

A TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR FUTURE

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LANDSCAPE AS ICELANDIC "CROWD SYMBOL" IN 1971, ELIAS CANETTI INTRODUCED THE TERM CROWD SYMBOL IN CROWDS AND POWER. HE DESCRIBED IT AS A SYMBOL INDISPENSABLE IN NARROWING DOWN A SELF-IMAGE FROM CONVOLUTED NATIONAL IDENTITY; IT COULD EVEN SUSTAIN THE PUBLIC SENTIMENTS OF NATIONAL BELONGING (CANETTI, 1971, PP. 191–203). ENGLAND’S CROWD SYMBOL IS IN ITS SEAS. FRANCE HAS ITS FRENCH REVOLUTION. ICELAND’S LANDSCAPES WHICH INCLUDE ACTIVE VOLCANOES, TREMENDOUS WATERFALLS, BLEAK LAVA FIELD, MOVING GLACIERS, ETC. IS INTIMATELY INTERTWINED WITH ITS RICH CORPUS OF SAGAS AND EDDAS, ITS CULTURE AND ITS NATIONAL IDENTITY.

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

CULTURE + LANDSCAPES

LANDSCAPE AS A CROWD SYMBOL

Perception and understanding of landscapes vary within and across individual cultures and also vary throughout history.

The perception of human and nature’s relationship is focused on landscapes and in the case of Iceland, reflected on manuscripts and folklore. Rich and profound ancient folklore from the times of Viking expressed awe and respect for the natural world. Dramatic spectacles of nature are anthropomorphized and endowed with new characters in Icelandic mythology and legend. Elves, trolls and even outlaws are rooted deeply in landscape and embedded in national culture. This veneration lives even now when strange piles of rocks are left undisturbed in the wake of building and road constructions due to the belief that they house hidden elves.

In 19th century, Iceland ushered in a new era of national awakening after centuries of slumber under the control of Norway and Denmark. Hailed as the golden age for Icelandic literature, perception of landscape was reshaped from mystical worship of nature into contemporary view of landscape with ideological and political motives. In the book Draumalandið. Sjálfshjálparbók handa hræddri þjóð (Dreamland. A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation), Andri Snær Magnason emphasised on the distinct view that Icelandic national self-perception stems from landscape and nature. This view has strong mutual influence with literature from the same period and is closely connected to the political independence of the nation. Iceland’s extremely rugged and characteristically dystopian landscape was described as national landscape unparalleled by Danish wide plains terrain. Such a nationalist perspective is coupled with obvious appreciation of Icelandic literary tradition and eventually deemed as an argument for landscape preservation.

IMG 4: [ICELAND HIGH LAND AREA]

IMG 5: [ICELANDIC MYTHODOLOGY AND LANDSCAPE]

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

LITERATURE + LANDSCAPES

LANDSCAPE AS A CROWD SYMBOL

Nationalistic literature tradition were interpretations of landscape cast in Romantic theme. Descending from medieval sagas, these patriotic poems are sprinkled with historical facts, blurring the boundaries between folklore and reality with strong focus on landscape resources and preservation. Jónas Hallgrímsson, Iceland’s beloved national poet is characterised by love of Icelandic landscapes, appreciation for similar sentiments in medieval sagas and appetite for national sovereignty. The poem Ísland is a good example. It begins with strong emotion: "Iceland!

Fortunate and prosperous snow- white mother! / Where are your fame, freedom and best spirit?"

The land was "beautiful and free" when "the famous forefathers and heroes of good freedom" came.

In the poem Gunnarsholmi(Gunnar’s Holm) which was derived from the saga of a tenth-century chieftain, Hallgrímsson delivered his creative and complicated perception of landscape - a longing for death in homeland - by an emphatic description of the location: "The fields so golden, roses in such glory, Such crowds of sheep and cattle everywhere!

Here will I live, here die – in youth or hoary Hapless old age – as God decrees. Good-bye, Brother and friend." Thus Gunnar’s gallant story.

For Gunnar felt it nobler far to die Than flee and leave his native shores behind him, Even though foes, inflamed with hate and sly, Where forging links of death in which to bind him.

(Ringler, 2002, p. 137)

IMG 6: [PHOTOGRAPHY_ICELANDIC WILDERNESS NATURE IN WINTER ]

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IMG 7: [ICELANDIC MEDIEVAL SAGA]

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

LITERATURE | MOVIEWS + LANDSCAPES

LANDSCAPE AS A CROWD SYMBOL

German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder theorised on cultural development and viewed human history as a rational extension of nature’s evolution; human and landscape experience a reciprocal relationship where humanity shapes and nurses landscape while landscape cultivates and influences cultural development. This union between human and nature is subject to the behaviour of particular culture which varies its disposition and utilisation throughout historical period. There is a direct correlation in inhabitants’ cultural perfection and their surrounding landscape’s aesthetic value. (Kirchhoff and Trepl 39-40).

As depicted in Ísland, the landscape and cultural union were described both in the magnificent nature and munificent people.

Under Danish rule, such union was perceived to be diluted and degenerated. Of course, landscape and nature’s magnificence were not in anyway undermined and thus continued to inspire and enhance Icelanders’ sense of belonging. The fight for independence was natural and embedded deep within the nation’s character.

Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness’ Independent People was published at a time when Icelanders struggled for national sovereignty in the 1930s. Written under the theme of independence, Bjartur’s struggles resonate with Icelanders where they see themselves as a tough and resilient northern folk surviving isolation, frigid weather and unforgivingly harsh volcanic landscape.

Today, entanglement of landscape and human continues to be a theme in modern Icelandic society. Contemporary Icelandic movies question the relationship between man and indomitable nature, debating the values of rural and urban lifestyle. The plot of Land and Sons (1980) centres around father-son generation gap rife with loneliness, alienation and escape. The splendour and hostility of the landscape offer contrast and character to the drama; in this narrative, everything was pushed to its limits. The same conflict were presented in the more recent successful movie Rams(2015).

Bleak and desolate landscape as an accent in the film's setting, the depicted shepherds’ despair and struggle with the scrapie outbreak in harsh winter is not dissimilar to medieval Icelandic saga. Life and death, past and future along with a stronger connection with landscape are again explored in the movie.

IMG 10: [NOVEL:INDEPENDENT PEOPLE] IMG 11: [MOVIE:LAND AND SON] IMG 12: [MOVIE:RAMS_SHEPHERD'S DESPAIR] IMG 13: [MOVIE:RAMS_BLEAK AND DESOLATE LANDSCAPE]

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

NATIONAL POLICY + LANDSCAPE

LANDSCAPE AS A CROWD SYMBOL

Be it medieval sagas, modern novels or movies, Iceland’s landscapes occupy an indispensable position. It rose from being a subject of awe and admiration to ideological prominence; this ascension witnessed Icelandic society’s growth, glory and independence.

Landscape is Iceland’s crowd symbol.

Needless to say, the preservation of landscape and its narrative is paramount. The recently revised national landscape policy ‘Planning Act of 2012’ emphasises on preserving both cultural and natural landscapes.

Hypothetically, corruption of Icelandic landscape will be followed by its’ literature’s obsolescence in culture and history.

Conversely, absence of Icelandic literature will no doubt cause a void in deference and attachment to the landscapes; entanglement of nation, culture and nature will cease to exist. In essence, Iceland’s landscape is an ideological palimpsest, just as Simon Schama described in his book landscape and memory,’ ‘its scenery is built up as much from strata of memory as from layers of rock’ (Schama, 1995, pp. 6–7).

IMG 14: [ICELANDIC GLACIER LANDSCAPE] IMG 15: [ICELANDIC UNIQUE VOLCANO LANDSCAPE]

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INDUSTRIAL AND ARCHITECTURAL PROVACATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

BY DEFINITION, ENERGY LANDSCAPES ARE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT EITHER PROVIDE OR ARISE FROM ENERGY EXTRACTION FOR HUMAN USE.

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ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

ENERGY LANDSCAPE+ ENERGY CONSUMPTION

PROVOCATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

Iceland’s energy landscape is extensive, running from northeast to southwest along the volcanically active division of shifting tectonic plates. It is heterogeneous; varying from smouldering plains to erupting lava fields; from gigantic mounts with glacier to snow meltwaters rivers; from boiling mud fields to moss tundra; from barren fissure land to fertile valleys. It is dynamic; earthquakes, volcano eruptions, lava flows and geothermal activities continuously reshape the landscape.

MAP.3: [ENERGY TRANSMISSION LINES]

While Iceland’s landscapes are often hostile,it is a manifestation of abundant renewable geothermal and hydroelectric energy generation potential which can be harnessed to the nation’s benefit. Currently, energy demand from aquaculture, agriculture and residential area are met by geothermal supplies whilst combination of geothermal and hydroelectricity provide for heavy industries. Many untapped geothermal and hydroelectric sites have been identified and remain to be exploited. Existing energy generation would need to be ramped up to meet rising energy consumption of an albeit small Icelandic population. On top of domestic consumption, energy export would also drive demands up. In 2012, a possible direct energy conduit plan of $2.1b was discussed between UK and Iceland. The plan involves switching all domestic energy needs to geothermal and export hydroelectricity to the UK using world’s longest undersea cable. Further energy demands and expansion of its potential on energy productions would allow Iceland to tap into its energy landscape. The landscape is being provoked by fast-growing energy pipelines and facilities.

ENERGY PRODUCTION IN ICELAND

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION 2013

IMG.17: [PHOTOGRAPHY_ICELAND ENERGETIC LANDSCAPE:NESJAVELLIR POWER PLANT]

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HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY CONSUMPTION 2013

MAP.4: [ICELANDIC TECTONIC AND ENERGY LOCATION]

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

ENERGY EXPLOITATION's IMPACTS ON LANDSCAPES

PROVOCATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

Iceland serves as the cradle for renewable energy exploitation with unique landscape consideration. Such development is not without its drawbacks. With the boom of apathetic plants, pipes, dams, dykes, platforms, powerlines and tarmacs, splendid visual landscapes and wilderness of highland plateaus and geothermal fields are negatively affected. Endemic surface features such as smoggy geothermal vent, hot spring and rare flora are reduced and replaced by noisy equipment and tools. Artificial ponds are dug in lava fields to contain impermeable geothermal waste fluid which is toxic (H2S, Hg, As, B, Cl) and saturated with minerals.

DIAG.4

IMPACTS DEGREE ON ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LOW

HIGH

Landscape + Wilderness Geology + Hydrology Ecosystems + Soils Species Cultural Heritage

Geothermal Hydropower

Road

HIDDEN STEAM PIPE

Mounted Earth Barrier

Technologies are significant for co-habitation of nature and energy industry, especially if visual impact and pollution are to be minimised on the otherwise pristine landscape. In the context of geothermal energy, advanced techniques are tested and begin to apply to all stages from energy acquisition to energy consumption.

Boreholes grouping produces environment-friendly steam supply system with more economic benefits for minimising drill site area. Three types of steam collection pipes are suggested to reduce visual impact on landscape. Hybrid cooling system controls steam plume according to weather and time of day, both keeping visibility high for nearby traffic safety and again reducing visual impact on scenery. Emission recycling techniques deal with toxic components like hydrogen sulphide (H2S) which is broken down into hydrogen (H2) for clean energy; CO2 from catabolic process is reinjected into basaltic bedrock ground or turned into calcite as industrial material.

Road

SEMI-HIDDEN STEAM PIPE Road

NORMAL STEAM PIPE WITH SPECIFIC LANDSCAPE COLOUR

DIAG.5: [THREE TYPES OF PIPES TO REDUCE VISUAL IMPACTS] IMG.18: [PHOTOGRAPHY_THE CONTROVERSIAL HYDROPOWER PROJECT:KARAHNJUKAR HYDROPOWER PLANT]

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT Geothermal Heat 3KM

Urcertain.

Hydrology

Insub.

Geology

Subst.

Landscape Visual Sense

2KM

Subst.

Land wastes

1KM

Consid.

Air Quality

Subst.

Archaeological Remains

Consid.

Sound Level

Consid.

Tourism & Recreation

Subst.

(Insub.:Insubstaintail effect; Consid.:Considerable effect; Subst.:Substantial effect) Level of Influences

REYKJANES POWER PLANT LAND AREAS

GEOTHERMAL WORKING PROCESS

APPLICATION & EMISSIONS

.HOUSING HEATING .SNOW MELTING

.OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL

.ENERGY FOR VEHICLE (STORAGE TANK)

.FISHING FARM

.ELECTRICITY

(HYDROGEN STORAGE)

.GREEN HOUSES

SILICON DEPOSIT WARM WATER ELECTRICITY

WASTED WATER

PUMP

GEOTHERMAL EMISSION:

ENERGY TURBINES

(MAIN ELEMENTS)

HOT WATER HYDROGEN ENERGY EMISSIONS

STEAM EMISSION

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H1S H2S CO2 CH4 N2 H2 HEAVY METAL

ICELAND: ENERGY LANDSCAPE

ENERGY EXPLOITATION COHABITATION

PROVOCATION ON ENERGY LANDSCAPE

Nevertheless, the prospect of turning harsh and uninhabitable landscape into one that fosters development by utilising resources embedded beneath is exciting and calls for a paradigm shift in cohabitation between architecture and contextual extremes.

Cohabitation can already be observed in existing cases. In Hveragerði, Frost og Funi guest house sits atop unstable geothermal field where boiling water steam and grey mud oozes and belch. Built on erupting fissure land in 1974, Krafla power station has since coexisted with violent natural forces; seismic and volcanic activities threatened its development several times, but it persisted, expanded and continues to operate today.

While Hellisheiðarvirkjunar landscape is largely scarred with craters and lava, Scoria from volcanic fissures in such area is often rich and was used to construct roads to the Hellisheidi power station in 1970s.

MAP.6: [Krafla Power Station Location]

Waste products from geothermal plants have even spawned other industries in their proximity. One of Iceland’s most famous tourist attraction -The Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa - is amidst barren black lava field and fed entirely by the waste water output from nearby Svartsengi geothermal plant. With abundant geothermal energy, luxurious minerals, salts, fine silica mud and turquoise algae, the spa not only partially solve waste management but also gave rise to a new function. Its’ architecture epitomises synergistic industrial solution by providing purpose in an entirely different tourism domain.

In geothermal fields, heat from the earth’s thin crust permeates topsoil. To combat Iceland’s frigid weather, clusters of greenhouses have been built around geothermal fields to trap and use said energy for greens cultivations. Though novel, the idea has been likened to drinking water from firehose. Early attempts of such ventures in Bjarnarflg were met with a string of failures when potatoes emerged from the ground boiled due to lack of energy management technique.

IMG.20: [PHOTOGRAPHY_VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE:KARAHNJUKAR HYDROPOWER PLANT] Krafla Power Plant: A combination of brutal natural forces and human management.

Enormous steam and sound hissing out of the bare volcanic ground.

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IMG.21: [BLUE LAGOON SPA WITH GEOTHERMAL PLANT BEHIND]