11.29.06 Progress

The first image begins to explore the juxtaposition of the linear form in 2 directions. It presents interesting opportunities for interaction with the land and water as well as unique conditions for the territory within the interior of the intersecting forms.


The second image takes a closer look at the linear forms: how they would house infrastructure as well as community life. Multiple levels would increase land area, particularly that which would otherwise be lost. The end of the form take on the shape of the contours from the land lost over time. Further exploration is needed to incorporate sunlight within the levels and see how the water interacts within the form as well as around it.

11.29.06

Diminishing Shoreline in next 3 Images

11.26.06

The next step was to further define the idea of a wetland city and how it would be sited and developed programmatically based on previous research mappings.

SITE
One of the prominent regions identified was the eastern coast of the United States. Upon further research into the areas most affected by global warming, the Chesapeake Bay region was near the top of the list. The rise in sea level is twice the world average and anticipated to rise 8 inches in the next 25 years. The area is one of the nation's top 5 ports with the Virginia Port Authority being the largest port complex in the United States. While it sits at a dangerously low elevation, the region around the port at Norfolk is thriving with business and links the country to international commerce. A port is a gateway to the economy within a country as well as one of the first regions affected by rising water. The image below shows the relationship of the Virginia ports to the rest of the world.

The overall chosen site lies around the Norfolk area. The map below shows the Norfolk and Virginia Beach regions with the water and green space highlighted. The region exhibits characteristics of a wetland and the juxtaposition of two habitats.
PROGRAM

Replenish green space
Unharmed by flooding
Adaptable to warm climate / cools itself
Accessible by intrastructure
Partially inhabitable by water
Occupiable space to further tourism
Prevents erosion

he Norfolk area is center to finance, trade, tourism, shipbuilding, and food processing as well as an international port. In the event of flooding due to global warming, it will be important to maintain the infrastructure. The map below illustrates significant roads, ports, and train stations in orange.

The purpose of this megastructure is to act as a MegaPort, operational in flood conditions by creating an environment similar to a wetland, but yet creating a flourishing economical center. The structure will be partially submerged with a significant portion constructed of shipping containers. Container cargo is expected to quadruple in the next 20 years to approximately 30 million containers per year.


The next step is to begin to define a form. At the moment, it will begin as a linear form running perpendicular to the main highway, yet connecting the main highway to the sea and port while partially submerged. The red area shows the targeted siting area.

11.20.06

PROPOSAL
The Proposal considers the concept of a Wetland City. Designed as a hybrid between land and the sea, the city would accomodate flooding and be transformed by the new presence of water.

SITE
Although areas at risk to flooding due to global warming have been identified, the proposal could be set in a number of coastal cities or shores to other bodies of water. A site with a similar topography would be most favorable but with manmade on-site construction, the concept can be carried to almost any location.

The sketch below (My apologies for its distortion due to blogger) illustrates the land continues that dictate the need for a particular topography. A number of sketches and study were done to determine the best topography for flood control. The topography allows for the development of early wetlands and beginner flooding and accomodates the increase in water.
PROGRAM
High Density, Compact
Integrated Green space
Central Transportation & Communication Hub
Redefined yet maintained during flooding
Pedestrian friendly

In the images, orange represents the transportation and yellow represents the housing and mixed use development.

HUMAN SCALE MODELS


PERSONAL THOUGHTS
I am experimentING with several advanced modeling tools but forsee the use of the cloning tool once the project is developed into more specific detail. Right now the use of FormZ is more hindering to the development of my project than it is aiding in the design. Full reliance on technology seems to strip away at the development process, and the continued frustrations kill the momentum of the design. I'm not designing for the project; I'm designing for FormZ. As far as the final critique, I would like to present with display boards to a group of reviewers. Blogger is not always reliable and inhibits our way of presenting.

11.15.06 Sketches

11.15.06

The Wetland City:
a hybrid between two life systems



Program
Transportation
Pedestrian Circulation
Greenspace
Housing / Mixed Use


Characteristics of a Wetland City
Importance of Elevation Change
Interaction with Organic Life
Lower Structure adaptable to Water Presence
Emerging Structure Interacting With Water





I am currently working sectional to explore structural options, program for water adaptable areas, and the incorporation of coral either as a roof structure, means of pedestrian circulation, or cladding. The proposal would include the new city prototype with specifics on important details to the design.

11.13.06

In the previous class I had a clear direction and goal to explore the idea of an architecture style that served as a defense against the effects of global warming. I am currently struggling with the megascale- the problem of going beyond just repeating smaller forms in vast quantities to having an overall cohesive scheme while maintaining a significant level of detail. The megascale presents a challenge to the level of detail developed at project completion.

While I still might maintain developing a segment of the proposal, recent ideas include the idea of a wetland city- a city that functions as an intermediary between land and the sea, to accomodate for both life systems and yet function as an absorbing element.

Proposal 11.10.06

Through the mapimation process with global warming, it was evident that several at risk regions faced a high population density, further increase due to migration, numerous industries, and a flourishing economy. While many factors led to sustainable design as a solution, I am proposing an architecture that goes beyond sustainability as a defensive against the effects of global warming. Its purpose is to not only to propose architecture that sustains itself but reduces current contributing factors such as the presence of carbon dioxide. The proposal will be based on mass housing to accomodate the existing high population densities, allow for increase due to migration, and enable the region to continue its economic flourishing. Program requirements and strategies are presented below.

PROGRAM
Reduces levels of carbon dioxide
Mass housing accomodations
Modular
Constructed through fabrication
Adaptable to flooding and rising water
Elevated major mechanical systems

STRATEGIES A number of strategies enable the fulfillment of the program.

First explorations focus on absorption as a means of reducing levels of carbon dioxide. With a form like a sponge, the structure can absorb high levels of carbon dioxide within itself. One experiment called crystal sponges propose a means of exterior cladding that incorporates metal-organic framewoks (MDFs). This material acts like a honeycomb with 1 gram equal to the surface of a football field. Architect Terunobu Fujimori has also worked with coral to reduce large quantities of carbon dioxide to oxygen. Wood + coral construction locks the CO2 inside. A similar idea utilizes the construction of manmade wetlands as a means of absorption.

Modular forms seem best suitable for mass housing with a focus on fabrication as a means of construction. In a recent Fortune magazine dated November 13, 2006, fabrication was discussed as one of next trends in architecture. We're moving towards digital imaging and the ability to fabricate a form with the press of a button and a 3D printer. An affordable solution for at risk areas, which are typically coastal regions, could utilize surplus shipping containers as a building material. They are already fabricated and easily transported. The use of shipping containers and its prefabricated uses have been utilized in previous designs yet very little towards sustainable designs. It would be interesting to experiment with their uses when disassemble or it terms of at the mega-scale.

Finally it must be adaptable to flooding and rising water levels. The first approach would include a form of floating architecture. Air compartments or types of foam could be incorporated at the bottom of the structure to enable the form to change when the water rose. In Waterstudio, a Dutch design firm, concrete encased foamcore is used for this purpose. Other cases that have used floating structures include houses built to survive Netherland floods and floating artificial islands by New York based Acconci Studio. The second approach would incorporate a retractable dynamic structure that reacted to water levels. It could take the form of a pleated structure, a series of pipes or tubes, or motion of a sliding panel. Water itself is a powerful force and could be used to empower the movement by traping or collecting stormwater.

It will be important to design an interior structure capable of support, dynamics if necessary, and flexibility for modules. The exterior skin will need to be absorptive and possibility a significant portion being organic. The final component will be to create a mega-structure that interacts with its surroundings and incorporates the community. As emphasized by Calatrava, architecture needs to have social character and serve the community. While the overall design could be suitable for multiple locations, the individual sitings may incorporate additional programmatic requirements.

Endangered Land: risk from the rising seas [Mid-Review]

Over the last 100 years, sea level has risen 10 to 25 cm and will continue to rise 1 meter each century. Global warming is significantly affecting numerous coastal regions around the globe. In order to better analyze the effects of global warming and the rising sea levels, it is necessary to closely look at the causes. One of the most significant causes of global pollution is carbon dioxide emissions among greenhouse gases followed by an increase in air temperature. This results in the melting of glaciers in the arctic region, increasing the volume of the oceans. A datascape was constructed by mapping the level of carbon dioxide emissions per country and the level of increase in the air temperature. The third image below shows the effect of the increase in temperature by country.




The effect by such causes varies in degree according to the country or region. The illustration belows shows the areas that are more affected by one cause than another. If the sea continues to rise at its current rate, a considerable portion of the earth's land mass will be lost. The images below begin to show the receding coastline as well as the land that will be lost or currently endangered.


These areas face the danger of becoming extinct or lost to the sea. However, they contain valuable economies, products, and cultures. Their loss will result in economic loss internationally as well as directly affecting and displacing their people. Further analysis closely looks at the population density, the GDP as an economic factor, and centers of industry. Certain areas will be vacated naturally due to migration and therefore will not suffer as great of a loss. The mapping of tropical storms show the areas that are at the greatest risk of immediate effects.

The new world presents the result of a continued rise in sea levels if no action is taken. Based on the analysis above, several areas were determined to be at a greater risk than others due to a number of contributing factors. These include the number of people affected, the level at which the economy will be affected, the threat of tropical storms, current migration, and the possible loss of industrial centers. The areas with the most contributing factors include the east coast of the United States, a region in northern Europe, the southeastern coast of China, and the east coast region of India. These list includes only a small number of the areas impacted. The challenge becomes to design constructs, whether it be housing or mixed use, that embrace these atmosphere and work towards preventing the effects of global warming. Among other factors, it will be important to address the presence of greenhouse gases, the effect of heat and radiation, and potential and likely flooding. Can a megastructure include modules that will be moved with the sea? How will it address such issues?

11.1.06

First Image: Land lost due to sea level rise
Second Image: The world after 100 m sea level rise




Population density in at risk areas



Natural disasters and location of industrial centers: the map shows the areas that are in the most danger yet are highly valuable to our economy

mappings continued take 2

As the project continues, I have begun to look at parameters of the chosen areas that will determine or affect programming requirements.
Several areas I have looked at include:
- available technology for innovative design
- GDP to analyze economic status
- natural disasters that cause areas to be prone to flooding
- movement due to migration
- population density- where are the most people?

This image shows the risk areas from a previous map combined with a map of natural disasters. The green areas experience a number of tropical storms and winds causing storm surge and floods each year.

The base map for the collage below is the gross domestic product of each country. By highing the risk areas, it is clear where land loss will have the greatest effect on the entire world. The second image highlights these areas.

The map below illustrates areas of economic prosperity that lie within the risk areas. The yellow dots represent centers of industry such as transportation, shipping, electronics, textiles, chemicals, paper, and food processing. The orange squares represent centers of service that include tourism, finance, trade, and government. This data was taken from another map and inserted on the areas at risk.

mappings continued

Based on a current patterns of migration map, this map shows in which at risk areas the population would be likely to migrate away from the area. The orange represents at risk areas that are taking in people rather than losing them due to migration.


The map is more of a work on my part than a collage but I might consider collaging it with the current migration map.