Valued Decay: The Urban Plant
Performative Design
Supervisor - Dr. Abel Tablada
Conventional systems of waste disposal emphasize the negative qualities of waste by concentrating waste and obscuring consumers’ perspective of waste as a potential resource. Waste becomes incompatible with the city; a mutually reinforcing cycle of abhorrence of waste necessitates its distant disposal, which generates various social and environmental problems. The thesis sited in Hanoi, Vietnam – a city with its growing urban middle-class and increasing waste-related problems due to a reliance on distant, insufficient rural landfills – seeks to address urban food waste by localizing food waste treatment in the city and create smaller loops of material flows.
Located at upcoming transport nodes, the thesis intends to reduce the scale of waste treatment, make it less imposing, more relatable to consumers and educate people on waste being a resource and create a common feature throughout the city, to enable waste to be more acceptable within the urban context. By emphasizing the visibility of waste treatment and its subsequent use at these sites, the thesis seeks to change consumer perspectives of waste, to present it as a valued resource, create smaller loops of material flows and enable the consumer to recognise ‘waste’ as an essential part of urban living. The main architectural feature is the terracing mass used to contain the linear programmes of these sites, with a food waste treatment plant as a connecting bridge in the centre of the site together with a productive landscape of outdoor terraces for green spaces, where treated waste would be used and made visible to the everyday consumer. It is scaled to address the food waste of 125,000 people, processing an approximate 37.5 tonnes of waste daily. Treated waste is distributed to market operators (farmers themselves) as well as green spaces on the outdoor terraces to create smaller closed loop of material flows and emphasize a new relationship with 'waste'.
The site is at the current Long Bien Station which be built on the site of a former market, it is a site of high visibility; bounded by the cultural centre of Hanoi “the Old Quarter”, cultural attractions such as the Long Bien Bridge as well as being surrounded by Hanoi residential neighbourhoods. The terracing is used to contain the various programs of the site and also to break the volumes into smaller masses, fitting the finer grain of the site.
The main feature is this terracing mass used to contain the bus station, metro station and commercial spaces planned for the site, but with a productive landscape of outdoor terraces for green spaces, which would be where treated waste would be used. Productive green spaces are exposed portions of the terraces, while supportive and retail spaces are on the interior.
The design would feature two main arms containing either of the transport elements, and ground level commercial spaces such as modern retail shops and a wholesale market, with the waste treatment plant in the centre of that development to emphasize the presence of waste treatment in the site. The waste treatment plant is an elevated rectangular mass; part of it would function as a bridge between the two arms, increasing the visibility of waste as people move between the two arms and inevitably go past the waste treatment plant.
The section is intended to show the outdoor terraces for gardens, which are adjacent to interior commercial spaces, allowing people to see treated waste being used in the gardens, which in turn provide food for the commercial spaces on the interior. Part of the intent of this proposal is to emphasize food waste as a resource; waste enters the site, is treated, then used for planting on the terraces, in the form of community gardens for residents and eateries, or farms on the upper levels throughout the development as well as distributed to farmers who are operators of the market. The planting produces food which is used on site in eateries or sold in the market. A productive landscape is encountered by people as they enter the site to bring across the idea the waste is being used and can be valued.
Chimney: the chimney is a necessary component to expel foul gases from the waste treatment plant. While previously serving as a tall landmark feature for the surrounding area, the interior offers a close-up view of the processes occurring within the plant at one of the key circulation areas. The chimney serves as a skylight, to illuminate the triple atrium void space as well as bring light onto machines that work in the waste treatment plant.
Bridge: A main thoroughfare between the two arms of the design. It is an educational experience offering a view of the waste treatment processes as people move between the two arms of the building. The background view is of planting and vegetables which use the treated waste to produce food to convey the idea waste is being recycled on-site.
Terrace: A typical view of the retail spaces looking out onto planting area, with waste treatment in background. It is a green space people can encounter treated waste being used, as well a space people can enjoy and walk out onto.
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