Sustainable Mach: a manifesto for a sustainable future

VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN Arjun Chopra, Student no. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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1 THEORY 3-14 1.1 Thesis 3-4 1.2 “A Global Town” / Introduction 5-14 2 MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY 15-50 2.1 Visual Summary 15-17 2.2 Site of Town 18-20 2.3 Energy 21-23 2.4 Quality of Life 24-26

CONTENTS

2.5 Economy, Politics and Society 27-30 2.6 Transport and Movement/Climate and Natural Systems

31-34

2.7 Food Production and Agriculture 35-37 2.8 Built Environment 38-41 2.9 Migrant Community: Interventions 42-48 2.10 Overall Site Plan 49-50 3 BUILDING 1:200 STRATEGY 51-59 3.1 Proposal: Interfaith and Cultural Education Centre

51-59

4 CONCLUSIONS 60-61 5 APPENDICES 62-68

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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THEORY: THESIS

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1.1

ABSTRACT

INTEREST

The following is a manifesto for the town of Machynlleth in the year 2030, drawing from group research and consultation across a holistic range of sectors. My particular area of interest interrogates a political or social kind of sustainability, the introduction of migrants into the town, including asylum seekers, environmental and political refugees and economic migrants, and the tools the town requires to cope with such an intake. The report makes the argument that this is an essential component for a sustainable future.

Throughout the group study I was increasingly drawn to the subject of social integration, as it confirmed there were already tensions between the Welsh and English community, both locally and nationally. It could be argued that due to the influence of the Centre for Alternative Technology since its inception in the 70s, there is a unique presence of liberal thought and cultural awareness within the community demographic, though noted also a lack of ethnic diversity conducive to such due to its remote rural location. This seemed for me the ideal situation to propose an intake of migrants that could add to the town’s rich energy, and possibly serve to unify its different actors.

MACHYNLLETH Machynlleth is a town situated at the head of the Ddyfi estuary in Mid Wales and boasts a population of around 2,000. It is well accessible to the Ddyfi valley and Snowdonia National Park. It hosts a range of mountain biking trails and close to The Centre for Alternative Technology, an education and visitor centre for sustainable living. The town itself has a history that dates back to medieval times, and in the 1400s it was the site where Owain Glyndwr was crowned prince of Wales. It has run a charter market every Wednesday since the 1200s which is a tourist attraction across the valley. (Visit Wales, 2013)

In particular, the study notes the imminence of environmental refugees, people displaced due to natural disaster, effects of which will be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. This category of displaced peoples, for whom there is no current protection under international law, must be considered within the current scope of migrants that are already travelling to the UK. The project therefore specifies the intake of 10-15 migrant families (40-60 individuals), of which at least 60% are humanitarian or environmental refugees.

TASK As architecture students from the Centre for Alternative Technology, we were invited to research this town and ultimately construct a manifesto for what it might be like in 2030. The first part of this study was to establish a coherent picture of the town as it is today. This was carried out by first dividing our year (25 students) into 7 groups under the following headings: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)

Quality of Life Climate and Natural Systems Food Production and Agriculture Built Environment Energy Generation Movement and Transportation Politics, Society and Economics – “Hard Social” Quality of Life – “Soft Social”

I opted to work in the “Hard Social” group, where we concentrated on issues regarding social and political sustainability. The findings were shared with the year group and informed the second part of the study, a community consultation, which was carried out under the same themes in the same groups. The findings of both parts were compiled into a report which provided the basis for individual manifestos, with a focus on individual interests that we had formulated during research, the document that follows.

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

Brainstorm of population groups within the town 4

THEORY: A “GLOBAL TOWN” /INTRODUCTION

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1.2

Brainstorm on quotes and statistics from film “Climate Refugees� (2010) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Visual brainstorm of themes: redefining our emotional relationship to earth through shifts in lexicon, chaos vs stability, desolation and respite, gravity, flow of peoples and travelling of natural energies: water and air, floods and cyclones displacing peoples.

The central flower reads: “Diolch ich ameich croeso“, or “Thank you for welcoming us“. A news story covered a refugee family settled in Aberyswyth who expressed thier thanks to the local community by handing out flowers to passers-by in the street with this message attached. This touching moment sparked inspiration for this proposal.

The stem of the flower, the xylem that transports water up to the head, the corridor that is opened within a community to the outside, water that gives life and nourishment, and springs forth beauty, the possible basis for a building partii

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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ACCEPTING MIGRANTS “All communities in the West must acknowledge a certain complicity in a global situation which has produced refugees and mass migration, and inspired to take responsibility for such within their political locality.”

A quote recited from the film “Climate Refugees“ (2010) transposed from the Second World War to our current situation with the environment, suggesting that we may have now reached a point of no-return.

An “intersection“ that has produced climate refugees (right) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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The thesis for my vision for Machynlleth in 2030 is primarily based upon the politics of immigration. As we now live in a global society, the West has implicit responsibility for the welfare of countries on the other side of the globe, on which its wealth depends.

The situation is currently dire in countries such as Syria, Somalia and Etruria due to persecution, conflict and war, and more than ever are being displaced from their homes as refugees. Aside from such a traditional definition of a refugee, there will become exponentially more people displaced due to shock natural events as a result of our changing climate (i.e. desertification in Sudan causing conflict over scarce water supply or flooding in Bangladesh). These are known informally as climate or environmental refugees. As of yet there is no international law or legal definition to protect these people. It could be argued that such change in climate has been driven by generations of western industry (Climate Refugees, 2010).The proposal argues that, ultimately, all communities in the West must acknowledge a certain complicity in a global situation which has produced refugees and mass migration, and inspired to take responsibility for such within their political locality

CHALLENGING LOCALISM “The possibility of a sustainable movement with too much emphasis on locality is potentially dangerous as we fail to see our geopolitical position.”

In sustainable thinking, there is emphasis on strengthening our locality, where settlements are encouraged to develop energy and food autonomy. The proposal expresses a certain apprehension that the localism we may find in sustainability has potential to conflate with a new kind of nationalism which we have seen come to the fore recently (within the UKs decision to the leave the European Union and election of Donald Trump as president of the United States). Though the issue of sustainability is vocal on the political left and stronger control on immigration from the right, the localism which is their common denominator will ultimately serve to close us off from the larger global picture.

The possibility of a sustainable movement with too much emphasis on locality is potentially dangerous as we fail to see our geopolitical position.

P.A. Yeomans, inventor of the Keyline farming system and an inspiration to the permaculture movement, established a “scale of permanence“, suggesting that a sustainable system would respect this hierarchy. the climate, being the most permanent would have an effect over time on the shape of the land, its water catchments, defining roads and access, trees, structures, subdivisions and eventually soil (the easiest to change). Note to the right of the graph I have added political, human scales that run as counterpart to the physical ones just described. (below)

Further advance is made on equating the stem of the flower to the “wildlife corridor“. Note the religious (JudeoChristian) connotations that emerge with the exodus of peoples to a promised land, the parting of the seas for a safe passage. The wildlife corridor is not merely a tool for connecting the wilded zone 5 of a system to its heart zone 0, but a more fundamental means of connecting the “local” to the “global” Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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CORRIDOR

A Hip-Hop, Heidegger-meets-Vitruvius, topological reimagining of man’s being-inthe-world, a rootedness to the soil and a sky overhead, arms outstretched to the horizon where they meet, man intertwined and at one with this condition. The Five Percent Nation, as a street-based manifestation of the Nation of Islam used tools such as “backronyms” - circling the body - arm, leg, leg, arm, head to spell ALLAH, the god, to remind the black community during a difficult time that they were gods, empowered and contollers of their destiny.

“Link the heart of a sustainable community with people on its periphery.”

Therefore, the proposed scheme projects the possibility of western settlements making it a policy to accept a substantial number of migrants, whether this is in rural or urban areas, as a kind of corridor, linking the heart of a sustainable system with people on its periphery. Conceptually, this links to permaculture and its idea of the wildlife corridor.

As the zones progress concentrically from the home sphere in accordance to levels of maintenance, a sector is cut radially, which allows other life outside to enter into the system, giving the whole system greater flexibility and resilience.

“DECENTER/ FRACTURE”

Permacultural zoning, with its centredness on the home carries redolence of the centredness of man, which needs to be fractured.

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RURAL MIGRANTS “Introducing a migrant population would have a more significant effect on the existing demographic of a rural town and may threaten the identity of the place if not carried out sensitively.”

This project also explores the very fact that Machynlleth is a rural town. Most migrants are taken into urban area, where their entry into a situation that is already ethnically diverse will not substantially alter the demographics of challenge any latent xenophobia.

It is imaginably more difficult to bring migrants into a small rural town like Machynlleth, with a greater sense of locality and identity, and much less ethnic diversity. Introducing a migrant population would have a more significant effect on the existing demographic and would be a marked event that may serve to threaten the identity of the place if not carried out sensitively.

GARDEN CITY “Machynlleth as a new kind of Garden City, but one of cultural exchange.”

This project also explores the dialectic between urban and rural, one that has perpetuated ever more strongly through the 20th Century. This had been directly confronted by Ebenezer Howard as early as the 1900s, in his manifesto for garden cities, where he expressed a possibility for a new synthesis of town and country in his three magnets model. Such benefits of the city like flow of capital, plenty to do and plenty of employment would be combined with such for the country such as fresh air, spacious gardens, parks and green spaces and health. One benefit of living in a city, which is ever more relevant now than in the time of Howard’s model, is ethnic diversity. The city becomes defined as a space of difference, a melting pot of cultures and lifestyles. Take for example, the influence of working class Afro-Caribbean communities bringing soundsystem culture to New York, producing the global phenomenon and billion-dollar industry that is Hip Hop. The potential for cultural exchange is precisely what makes it exciting to live in a city. It could be argued that it is ethnic diversity which has exacerbated this distinction between urban and rural living, as evidenced by voting catchments in the EU referendum – being predominantly hinged upon the populations opinions on immigration.

Ebenezer Howard in his manifesto “Garden Cities of To-morrow”, sought to find a synthesis of town and country. One large factor of current times that separate the experience of the two is ethnic diversity, cultural richness. To bring the diversity of the city to a rural settlement is to explore a new synthesis of town and country, a Garden City of our current times.

Therefore, to bring migrants into the country is bringing an aspect that typifies urban experience into the rural, exploring a new kind of synthesis in Howard’s model. Combined with a focus on sustainability, the project thus explores the possibility of Machynlleth as a new kind of Garden City, but one of cultural exchange.

A curious pyramid, the phenomenon that Machynlleth is a relatively left-leaning town, in a right leaning county, in a comparatively left nation attached to an ultimately conservative UK.The whole sits on tectonic plates of the European community and its global hegemony, imperialist and colonial history, amounting to a complex and nuanced political situation (left).

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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COUNTRYSIDE AS REHABILITATIVE “Countryside as therapy, or rehabilitation for migrants.�

Philosophers such as Erich Fromm have argued that nature has an intrinsic value, priceless to the health and sanity of people, something that could be offered in a country but to lesser extent in the city. Therefore this project explores the idea of countryside as therapy, or rehabilitation for migrants. This would be marked in effect for those migrants that are refugees, who may be recovering from trauma, following the desolation of their homes.

This map illustrates number of refugees taken of in refugees per county in 2016 in county in This map illustrates number taken in per proportion to its population can be seen, refugees were proportion size. to itsAspopulation size. more As can be seen, more refugee taken in to the south of the country possibly due to greater economic prostaken in to the south of the country possibly due to greater econom perity and proportion of urban landscape.

Swansea and Gower accomoperity and proportion of urban landscape.

Swansea and Gower a dated most of all counties, though was neighbouring Neath that county Ne dated most of allitcounties, though it county was neighbouring was able to take on nearly as many, boasting a population seven was able to take on nearly as many, boasting a times population seve smaller. It appearssmaller. that whatever special Neath was It appears that initiative whatevercarried specialbyinitiative carried by Nea This map illustrates number refugees taken in peralthough countythat inbeing 2016 in although being transferred in part to south Powys.

Note that Cardiff, smalltransferred inofpart to south Powys.

Note Cardiff, proportion to its population size.

As can be seen, more refugees were er in geographical size, has a population size of nearly twice Powys, and twice Pow er in geographical size, has a population size of nearly taken in to the south of the country possibly due to greater economic prostook only two thirdstook the only amount refugees. twoof thirds the amount of refugees.

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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perity and proportion of urban landscape. Swansea and Gower accomodated most of all counties, though it was neighbouring county Neath that was able to take on nearly as many, boasting a population seven times smaller. It appears that whatever special initiative carried by Neath was

SOLASTALGIA-ENDEMOPHILIA “How does one re-establish the sense of home in a refugee community?”

Biophilia is a unique word in that it connects human emotion with nature. Australian philosopher Professor Glenn Albrecht (2013) explores the idea of a “psychoterratic typology”, a new kind of language hitherto absent in current discourse that seeks to express human relationship to nature and place. He claims that there is a certain urgency for this new lexicon, in light of impending climate crisis: the idea of Solastalgia, being a portmanteau of “solace” and “nostalgia”, expresses a longing for one’s home to return to a time past, in the face of irreversible change, something that would be strongly felt by refugees in the desolation of their homes and culture due to environmental or humanitarian reasons. The cure for this, Albrecht expresses, is “Endemophilia”, a portmanteau of “endemos” or home, and “philos” or love, otherwise an expression of one’s connectedness to their local community, both of place, “topophilia” and of people, “soliphilia”. This project seeks to explore how we could re-establish the sense of home in a refugee community.

Imagery inspired by line from poet Yasiin Bey’s song “Love“: “Sun burst throught the clouds, my photo ID“ (Bey, 1999), the arrival of his son/ the arrival of the sun, the sunburst relating to the photograph - conflating ideas of identity, family and psychoterratic states (above)

The cycle of solastalgia (above) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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EMPATHIC COMMUNITIES “Have people with whom refugees can share mutual empathy, supported by a population of asylum seekers and economic migrants.”

Consider the situation of a refugee family, now removed from their homes and having to fend for themselves in a new country, with little knowledge of its language and customs. How are they supposed to feel at home in a place so alien? Not to mention the potential animosity that could be markedly felt by local residents, whose sense of home and identity are being threatened by their presence? If a refugee is traumatised, or of not complete mental wellness, they may receive the health and social care requested through government, and the fresh air and green spaces provided by the bounteous natural surroundings, but the social wellbeing is ultimately not addressed. For this there needs to be people with whom they can share mutual empathy.

The provocation by this proposal is that to introduce a couple of nuclear refugee families into a town is not enough, we must introduce communities, as biosocial units of care, with a diverse demographic and common language and experience. In other words, take in more people than otherwise stipulated by government; to take in refugees but have them supported by a population of asylum seekers, and economic migrants.

RADIAL CLUSTERING “Groups of migrant families occupy pockets within the fabric of the town, communities as biosocial units of care.”

Then to address the question of how they will be settled: to separate them from the local population will allow the scheme to put migrants in close proximity to each other, maximising potential for Endemophilia, but also alienating them and creating a “ghetto”. To pepper the migrant community into the town would, on the opposite end, help integration but quash the possibility of an empathic community. The solution would be a synthesis of the two, grouping migrant families in groups of two and three and have them occupy pockets within the fabric of the town. The homes will, ideally, be radially clustered around a central community exchange and interfaith centre on the high street – a prominent position in the town.

Brainstorming types of migrants (above) ENGLISH POPULATION MIGRANT FAMILIES

community centre

couple

community centre

extended family

Illustrating a vision of radial clustering:families of units of care being integrated within a current community (right) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

MIGRANT FAMILIES

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person

WELSH RESIDENTS large nuclear family

MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY VISUAL SUMMARY

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2.1

INTERVENTION 1: Local Hospital Support for Refugees

• • •

INTERVENTION 2: Extension to existing school to accommodate migrant children

facilitate further growth of the charter market strengthen social bonds in the elderly community Seek to reconcile the linguistic divide between Welsh and English speakers, and the potential linguistic divide brought by migrant community

INTERVENTION 3: New migrant support centre

INTERVENTION 4: New interfaith and cultural education centre

•

Improve existing infrastructure against future flooding

Climate and Natural Systems

Quality of Life “Soft Social”

INTERVENTION 5: New centre for Climate Justice

• •

create zero waste free up swathes of arable land for more productive means Provide the means to fully monitor the scheme for research, bring together the Centre for Alternative Technology and the town.

•

Summary of group research expressed as aims

• •

•

Movement and Transportation Energy Generation

CO

RR

implement a sustainable transport scheme • • • •

generate all energy renewably with creation of surplus

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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IDO

R

socialisation of the high street – by pedestrianization ensure every empty room is inhabited build new sustainable housing through consensus design retrofit existing housing stock

al

l Built Environment

Glob

•

Natio nal

•

revive aspects of its historic industry as ethical practices begin new growing industries conducive to national localisation of food and drink produce establish a healthy local economy using various alternative means – such as a local currency and credit union increase altruistic activity and gift exchange through alternative monetary systems strengthen links it to surrounding communities

Estimated 2500 local residents

Biore

•

Food Production and Agriculture

giona

Politics, Economy and Society “Hard Social”

+10-15 migrant families (40-60 individuals) introduced to town, of which at least 60% humanitarian or environmental refugees (24-36 individuals)

The below chart illustrates the seven topics of research (blue circle) as outlined in the introduction, basic aims and needs established from group study (green) and directives or solutions (pink).

Note the addition of an eigth category, migrant community, which is my specific contribution to the manifesto. These will all be explained in greater detail throughout the document.

Sectors Aims Solutions Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY SITE OF TOWN

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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2.2

NORTH NO N OR RT TH-EA TH H-EASTERN EA E AS ST T TER ERN ER RN WIND W ND WI D

JJu une une n sun pat ah

Sept p em pt mb be er--March sun path

D ce De emb be er sun pat ath

Sector map establishing building areas and contour lines along with sunpath and wind directions

SO S OUT U H-WE H-WE EST S ER ERLY RLY PREVAILING PREV PR E AILI L NG WIND WIN ND

SECTOR MAP Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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SCALE 1:5000

Former cattle sheds

Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Primary School to be vacated in favour of new site at secondary school - future use of this building to be decided

Plas Kennels

Previous farmers’ building on high street unused

Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Secondary School to be demolished in favour of building a joint primary and secondary on field

PROPERTIES DUE FOR DEVELOPMENT SCALE 1:5000

Unused warehouse building in industrial area

MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY ENERGY

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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2.3

(Iconsdb.com, 2017)

ENERGY GENERATION • “generate all energy renewably with creation of surplus” o Three 3MW wind turbines will be installed to generate energy for the town. All will contribute to the Bro Dyfi community renewables scheme, where people can purchase an equal, yet capped share in the technologies. o All south facing roofs (50% of the town) will be fit with solar PVs and Tesla 3 batteries, able to store up to 100Kw of energy, with a central battery and heat pumps.

3 X 3MW WIND TURBINES

REGIONAL BIODIGESTER SOLAR PANELS AND BATTERY STORAGE FOR EVERY HOME (Enviro-resourcestc.com, 2017) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Solar PV array

Existing sewage works repurposed into anaerobic digester

3 x 3MW turbines

ENERGY MAP

SCALE 1:5000

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY QUALITY OF LIFE

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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2.4

QUALITY OF LIFE – SOFT SOCIAL • “facilitate further growth of the charter market” o The market will have grown out of the street into the Plas due to the popularity of the town and its quality of local crafts. Stalls can fold away.

• “strengthen social bonds in the elderly community” o The desktop study discovered that 18 percent of householders in Machynlleth are pensioners living alone. It is essential that the elderly do not feel socially isolated and new amenities will be provided for their leisure. These will be completely disabled accessible.

• “promote family-based healthcare” o In the manner of the Peckham experiment, held by Pearse and Crocker during wartime, every family in Machynlleth, including the migrant community, will be entitled to a yearly health overhaul, reenvisaging the family as a biosocial unit of care rather than the individual.

• “Seek to reconcile the linguistic divide between Welsh and English speakers, and the potential divide brought by migrant community”

(Travelstead, 2017)

EXTENDING MARKET TO Y PLAS

TIMEBANKING SCHEME

o It has been identified in the consultation that there are linguistic tensions in the community, particularly between English and Welsh. This will only be exacerbated by the arrival of a migrant community that may only know Arabic or Urdu. The masterplan proposes a language exchange centre, where residents and migrants will voluntarily opt to teach their language to others. This will operate on a time-banking system – every hour spent teaching another person in the community will generate one online credit, which can be directly exchanged for another person’s time learning another skill.

!

Hello!

Helo!

(Kiss, 2017) (Holm-Hansen, 2017)

FAMILY HEALTH OVERHAUL

LEISURE FACILITIES FOR THE ELDERLY

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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LANGUAGE EXCHANGE CENTRE

!

Hello!

Language exchange centre and timebank

Helo!

Family health overhaul clinic

Elderly leisure facilities Annual market extended to Y Plas

QUALITY OF LIFE MAP

SCALE 1:5000

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIETY

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2.5

ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIETY – “HARD SOCIAL” • “revive aspects of its historic industry as ethical practices” • “begin new growing industries conducive to national localisation of food and drink produce” o Machynlleth will become a champion of a new fibre industry – descendants from existing arable farmers raising sheep to the north of the town will be trained to grow alternative sources of fibres in prime growing space to the south of the town. In the manner of a permaculture design, it is crucial to observe at least for a year what will grow in a particular soil, so experimental fields will be set up. Researchers at the CAT centre will monitor various species such as hemp, flax, nettle and bamboo for levels of productivity using drone monitoring technology. The results from the study will be used to plant such crops on a larger scale, being weary to employ companion planting methods and encourage polycultures.  These will be harvested and threshed into fibres for clothes, a new ethical alternative to the wool spinning and carding factories that dominated Machynlleth during the 1800s. This industry will be located in the remaining building in the industrial area.

• “establish a healthy local economy using various alternative means – such as a local currency and credit union” o The “Mach Pound” will be established, with over 50 businesses aboard the scheme. Like the Bristol Pound these can be withdrawn from ATM machines throughout the town. The governors and the mayor will be paid in Mach Pounds, demonstrating their commitment to the local economy. o Mach notes will also serve as souvenirs to those who have visited, and will provide an incentive for them to come back.  The nature of the local currency will be such that it “rots”, it decreases in value the longer it is held so people are encouraged to circulate it, challenging the idea of interest and debt. o All shops will pay living wage, and a ringfence will be agreed for accepting migrants to work so as not to create discrimination. o Migrants will be issued with their own ATM card, to which the council can provide credits that can be withdrawn from the nearest machine – which is more dignified for the recipient.

PRODUCTION OF FIBRES FROM ALTERNATIVE SOURCES (Icons8, 2017) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIETY – “HARD SOCIAL” (CONTINUED) • “increase altruistic activity and gift exchange through alternative monetary systems” o A freecycle and crowdfunding scheme will be set up with local residents and beyond, collecting and refurbishing furniture that will be used to furnish flats for migrant families, who are given private rented accommodation by the local council. o Mach Maethlon, which already connects Edible Mach, Dyfi Landshare and Green Isle Growers will add another organisation: Mach Tool share.

This follows a “library of things” typology whereby residents can come to a centre in the town full of donated tools, categorised according to application – predominantly for gardening application – everything from hand trowels to open source agricultural machinery (augers etc.) and rent these free of charge provided they are members. It may be advertised on the internet “Swap Shop” when new tools are added for the community’s perusal.

PANTPERTHOG

DOGELLAU MACHYNLLETH

ABERDYFI

ABERYSWYTH

• “strengthen links it to surrounding communities” o The town will include a council that will practice consensus and sociocratic decision-making for any future plans of the town. This circle potentially includes anyone with affiliation with the town. Free food and drink are provided at these events as incentives for people to come. The ‘Machynlleth Action Circle’ (MAC) exchange members among similar organisations in neighbouring towns in order to create strong communication flows across inhabitants of the Dyfi valley. This will be increasingly important as these towns will be sharing energy and distributing their surplus resources.

(alhovic, 2017) (freepik, 2015)

MACHYNLLETH ACTION CIRCLE (MAC) (thewebsitetemplate, 2017)

MACH TOOL SHARE

FURNITURE FREECYCLE

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(Library of Things, 2017)

Mach Toolshare: extension to existing library

Furniture freecycle

M.A.C. (Machynlleth Action Circle)

ECONOMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIETY MAP

SCALE 1:5000

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT/ CLIMATE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS

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2.6

TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT • “implement a sustainable transport scheme” o Car parking will be relocated in the existing industrial park with fully permeable block paving and electric vehicle charging points o An autonomous electric bus will travel through the town, adapting its route to bookings made by residents on an app.

CLIMATE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS • “Improve existing infrastructure against future flooding” o Flood defences will be erected to the west of the town closest to the river Dyfi, which is shown to be at risk of substantial surface water flooding in the near future, and the Dyfi bridge will be given extra support.

REINFORCING THE DDYFI BRIDGE CAR PARK RELOCATED TO INDUSTRIAL PARK WITH EVCP (chombosan, 2017)

CYCLE HIRE

AUTONOMOUS ELECTRIC BUS

(Tomaniac, 2017) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

FLOOD DEFENCES TO WEST OF TOWN

(nickylarson974, 2016) 32

Lloyd’s autonomous electric bus

car park moved to industrial area with EVCP facility Bicycle hire

TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT MAP

SCALE 1:5000

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Reinforcement of Ddyfi bridge

Flood dykes built

CLIMATE AND NATURAL SYSTEMS MAP

SCALE 1:5000

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY FOOD PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURE

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2.7

FOOD PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURE • “create zero waste” o Food wastes will be distributed to a variety of compost heaps around the town for aerobic digestion, and only absolute wastes will be taken to a regional anaerobic digester.

• “free up swathes of arable land for more productive means” o Though a larger portion of the population will be vegetarian due to the pressing issue of climate change, an aquaculture and sustainable fishery will nonetheless make use of the now-flooded Dyfi river. It will also use floating Aquaponic greenhouses on the river, turning mills to grind hemp flour and flax mill, as will be farmed around the town.

AEROBIC COMPOSTING STATIONED AROUND TOWN

o The hill to the north of Machynlleth will be terraced for growing, and planned using Yeoman’s Keyline ploughing method to effectively distribute rainwater runoff.

• “Provide the means to fully monitor the scheme for research, bring together the Centre for Alternative Technology and the town.”

SUSTAINABLE FISHERY FROM NOW FLOODED WEST SIDE

(martialred, 2017)

WEATHER STATION AND RESEARCH CENTRE (Brzezina, 2017)

KEYLINING AND TERRACING TO SOUTH SIDE OF NORTH HILL

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(Bigham Brothers, 2017) (Lay, 2017)

FOOD PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURE MAP

SCALE 1:5000

Terracing and Keylining of south-facing hill for production

Sustainable fishery and wetlands

Weather system

Compost bays situated around town Coppice

Herbs, salads and annuals Hemp

Flax

Orchards Nettle Bamboo

Windbreak Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

PUBLIC GARDEN

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Fibre processing plant

MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY BUILT ENVIRONMENT

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2.8

BUILT ENVIRONMENT • “socialisation of the high street – by pedestrianization” o The high street will be completely pedestrianised with sustainable urban drainage and a wildlife corridor running down it’s centre.  Serving metaphorically as a welcoming route into the town for outsiders.  As there will be no carbon-creating traffic throwing particulates into the air it will be safe to grow food along the high street – salads will be planted for which it is the responsibility of shop owners (to which each part of the bed is associated) local residents and Mach Maethlon organisations to maintain. This will function as the town’s zone 1. According to the climate study, the 1 in 5 effect of crosswind over the buildings running the length of the high street will serve as a favourable microclimate for plants.

WILDLIFE CORRIDOR (iconsdb, 2017)

community

 Structural awnings will be attached to the front of shops to extend them on the ground floor with varying degrees into the high street, providing greater diversity of experience to the pedestrian experience and abolishing the “building line”, which is only favourable to aesthetic experience when driving though a town at speed. The structural awnings will be such that they allow shops to integrate their wares into each other, giving local businesses a certain synergy.  A car width will remain for service access for market stall owners and shops  Existing rubble will be broken up to use as hardcore for future building developments.

• “ensure every empty room is inhabited” o Purchasers of second homes in Machynlleth, which remain wastefully vacated, identified as a national issue in the desktop study and local issue whilst engaging with local residents, will be encouraged to rent these out to tourists, students and migrants and generate income, whilst a management team in the town will agree to look after the tenants if anything goes amiss.

HOUSING MANAGEMENT GROUP (Free-icons-download.net, 2016) (Simmonds, 2014)

(Iconfinder ApS, 2017) (NOPIXEL, 2017)

HOUSING TRIBUNALS SERVICE

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

SuDS 39

(West Consortium, 2017)

BUILT ENVIRONMENT (CONTINUED) • “build new sustainable housing through consensus design” o The population will have grown to incorporate a larger population of young people, drawn to the eco-ideas having been implemented throughout the town. There will be a proliferation of self-built homes for incoming migrant communities as further devolved power will be granted to planning departments. With the success of the One Planet Living Development smallholdings throughout Wales, the challenge has been extended to seven years, and several have now been started in the vicinity of the town. o Self-build plots are underway for new migrant communities and a selfbuild consultancy centre, alongside a community advice bureau and a housing tribunals service will be built in the heart of the residential area to the east.

• “Retrofit existing housing stock” o All existing homes will be retrofitted and installed with energy efficient boilers.

(Ruiz, 2017) (Bioregional, 2017)

ONE PLANET LIVING SUBURB

SELF-BUILD CONSULTANCY CENTRE

YOUNG PERSONS COHOUSING

(Hills, 2016) (Melton Brokers, 2017) (Henderson International Group, 2017) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

(Ahkâm, 2017) 40

Suburb of One Planet Living developments Self-build housing development/ young persons co-housing Pedestrianisation of high street including wildlife corridor and SuDS

community

Existing primary school to be replaced with self-build consultancy centre with experiment area, community advice bureau, local housing management team and housing tribunals service

BUILT ENVIRONMENT MAP

SCALE 1:5000

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY MIGRANT COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS

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2.9

YIN-YANG For all existing amenities the scheme intends to build an allowance and consideration for the migrant community, and any new amenity built for the migrants must make allowance for the rest of the town.

The proposed scheme aims to be completely egalitarian. Any specialist facilities provided for the new migrant community will also be useable for the local residents and vice versa – and new typologies will be proposed to create synergies between both. Take the example of the yin-yang: this could be seen to symbolise a harmony of two parts with a displacement of each in each other. For all existing amenities, the scheme intends to build an allowance and consideration for the migrant community, and any new amenity built for the migrants must make allowance for the rest of the town.

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PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS INTERVENTION 1: “Local hospital support for refugees�

Refugees in a state of isolation, having considered possible traumatic experiences that they may have gone through, can be a danger to society. Mental affect caused such means they could be liable to acts of terrorism, become involved with illicit or illegal means of making an income to support themselves, domestic abuse, and other destructive activity. It is essential that Machynlleth provides constant support and monitoring. The hospital will employ bilingual, predominantly Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and Mandarin speaking doctors and psychotherapists to screen new refugees for their mental health, and make sure that they have medication and counselling that they require.

LOCAL HOSPITAL SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES

(K., 2017) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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INTERVENTION 2: “Extension to existing school to accommodate migrant children” Ysgol Bro Hydggen, as opposed to building a brand-new school as originally planned, will have instead adapted and retrofitted its existing secondary school, with annexes built especially for educating refugee children accompanied by a bilingual carer.

INTERVENTION 3: “New migrant support centre” Machynlleth will build a migrant support centre. This will provide the following amenities: • Provide information and full disclosure to the local residents for future plans in accepting migrants. This will be at a drop-in centre, or hub, on the high street.

There will also be information nights and film screening monthly to the community to show progress is being made.

• Machynlleth will “sister” itself with a refugee camp with whom it will be in constant communication, providing aid when required. A drone will be sent back and forth to said camp carrying provisions, and letters/voice notes etc. from the families to their acquaintances and extended family. (The research proved drones to be the future of the postal service – being able to infiltrate critical inaccessible areas)

EXTENSION TO SCHOOL

• It will also organise cultural events where migrants can share their experiences, and sports events.

(Popcic, 2017)

MIGRANT SUPPORT CENTRE Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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(Anon, 2017) (Mokrane, 2017)

INTERVENTION 4: “New interfaith and cultural education centre” Alongside St. Peters church and the remaining chapels, the town will build a brand new interfaith and cultural education centre that welcomes the migrant community and also the local residents. This will be situated on the plot beside the Cooperative supermarket, as shown to be empty in the desktop research. Inspirations for the centre will include: 1)

Bahai houses of worship elements: central planning

2) Mosque elements: ablution at threshold, a dome, minaret and qibla wall facing east 3)

Church elements: clerestory lighting

4)

Gurdwara elements: a free and communal kitchen

The front of the building and the ground floor in general is to be public, featuring an open kitchen, a courtyard with rainwater catchment feature and a multiuse hall to the rear, predominantly used for prayer and peaceful activity. The first floor will be more private, including seminar rooms and teaching spaces that have views of the activity in the café below.

Ample room will be provided to the east of the site for a social zone, including a children’s play area and gardens. A souk, or street market will front the building, that will introduce a new energy into the weekly charter market. The floor surrounding the building and throughout will be colorful mosaic tiling of geometric pattern of loosely arabesque style.

INTERFAITH AND CULTURAL EDUCATION CENTRE (Nam, 2015) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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INTERVENTION 5: “New centre for climate justice” Machynlleth will be a champion for racially integrated communities. Stakeholders to the migrant scheme will be involved in a pressure movement that calls government to reassess the definition of a refugee.

Currently, under the 1951 Geneva convention, people who are at serious risk if they return to their home countries due to persecution or war etc. are protected if their asylum is granted. But as explored by the film “Climate Refugees”, there is no international law that protects one whose home has been destroyed by a flood, or cannot find food for their families. Political scientists may be vocal in not wanting to redefine a refugee in any other way than a victim of political violence or dictatorship. To broaden the definition otherwise would degrade the status of refugees and define so many people that we would not know where to begin.

A totalising image of a refugee is a vulnerable individual facing a problem they cannot solve alone. In truth, we have a number of people displaced from their home due to an ensuing war with nature, and along with the old kind, all should be dealt with in the same way. Although it can be argued that we need a narrow definition so that we can concentrate our aid, we should do the moral thing and expand our definition and encompass a larger spectrum.

There are two options. The first is to define a new international law, and the second to find a way for such new victims to fall under the protection of the 1951 Geneva Convention. All the while we should seek to pre-empt the phenomenon that is going to cause these refugees to grow. (Climate Refugees, 2010)

CENTRE FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

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Migrant support centre

Extension to hospital for refugee support

Interfaith and Cultural Education Centre Extension to new junior and senior school for migrant children intake

Existing school demolished

Climate Justice Court

Plas Kennels renovated as nursery

MIGRANT COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS MAP

SCALE 1:5000

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

MASTERPLAN 1:5000 STRATEGY OVERALL SITE PLAN

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2.10

Suburb of One Planet Living developments

Reinforcement of Ddyfi bridge Self-build housing development/ young persons co-housing Pedestrianisation of high street including wildlife corridor and SuDS

!

Hello!

Language exchange centre and timebank

Helo!

Terracing and Keylining of south-facing hill for production

Migrant support centre

Solar PV array

community

Extension to hospital for refugee support Sustainable fishery and wetlands

Lloyd’s autonomous electric bus Flood dykes built Existing sewage works repurposed into anaerobic digester

Mach Toolshare: extension to existing library

Furniture freecycle car park moved to industrial area with EVCP facility

Interfaith and Cultural Education Centre Extension to new junior and senior school for migrant children intake

Existing primary school to be replaced with self-build consultancy centre with experiment area, community advice bureau, local housing management team and housing tribunals service

Family health overhaul clinic

Existing school demolished

Bicycle hire

M.A.C. (Machynlleth Action Circle)

Weather system Climate Justice Court

Compost bays situated around town Coppice Plas Kennels renovated as nursery

Herbs, salads and annuals Hemp

3 x 3MW turbines Flax

Orchards

Elderly leisure facilities

Nettle

Annual market extended to Y Plas

Fibre processing plant

Bamboo

Windbreak Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

PUBLIC GARDEN

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OVERALL VISION MAP

SCALE 1:5000

MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

3.1 BUILDING 1:200 STRATEGY PROPOSAL: INTERFAITH AND CULTURAL EDUCATION CENTRE Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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A second part of this report zooms in on a particular intervention specific to my focus on migrant intake, namely intervention 4, the interfaith and cultural education centre, musing on what such a building would look like and how it would function.

An entrance door that welcomes the Welsh, English and migrant communities (above)

STRONG CORRIDOR

TRAVELLING OF WATER AND PEOPLE

CENTRAL PLANNING FOR HOUSE OF WORSHIP

ELEMENTS OF EASTERN/ ISLAMIC PLANNING

SPACE FOR ARTS AND EXPRESSION Language-elements for proposed building (above)

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Previous farmers’ building on high street unused

Site for Interfaith and Cultural Education

CHOSEN SITE Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Source: google maps Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

STREET VIEW FACING SOUTH 54

Residential Residential Residential

NORTH-EASTERN WIND

Residential

June sun path Cooperative supermarket Residential

September-March sun path

December sun path

Machynlleth Bowling Club

Cooperative Car Park Car Park

EXISTING SITE PLAN IN CONTEXT

SOUTH-WESTERLY PREVAILING WIND Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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PUBLIC ZONE

A

PRIVATE ZONE

A

Souk/market, spilling onto street Views onto street

Hydroponic plantings serving to cleanse the rainwater as it runs through

Entrance

Entrance bridge Shop

bridge

WC

Views into cafe

Social area (sheltered)

stair

Seminar/ meeting/ classroom

Views into garden

World cafe

Kitchen/ demo and servery

Store

Service access WC

Exhibition

Gardens

WC

WC

bridge

Women’s wudu

Storytelling courtyard

Men’s wudu Note water would have to be filtered and sterilised to be potable and used for ablution

Seminar/ meeting/ classroom

Seminar/ meeting/ classroom

stair

Walkways overlooking courtyard Water trough

Minaret

Minaret House of Worship

House of worship designed for multiple uses: can be divided by gender if required, either on two floors or bisecting seating on ground floor

Qibla

A

A

GROUND FLOOR PLAN Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

FIRST FLOOR PLAN 56

Scale 1:250

(Rawson, 2014)

A SPIRITUAL ARCHITECTURE Building as a sum of “flows”: water, air, light, energy, heat and people

“LEAF“

Dome space as more monolithic and massive, a drum, a “pot” spinning on the wheel (Groupon, 2017) Dome has no cornicing or guttering - water travels directly down the sides, collected in french drain as a moat around the structure, and flows into collection tank

Curving of surfaces, softening light entering i.e. Jorn Utzon’s Bagsvaerd Church in Denmark

BRINGING ALL FLOWS INTO ONE

“POT”

corrugated roof shown here to aid in dispensation of water to centre but may be a green roof

Butterfly roof with fall to both sides, a “leaf”, a lightweight structure designed to shed water (Newton’s Apple, n.d.)

Seminar/meeting room overlooking cafe

Spaceframe structure underneath to account for large span

rear trough into collection tank

“pouring light” (Cuded, 2016)

STREET ELEVATION SCALE 1:125

SEMINAR/ MEETING

HOUSE OF WORSHIP

CAFE STREET FRONTAGE

KITCHEN/COOKING DEMONSTRATION

Water catchment inspired from details of Carlo Scarpa (right) and stepwells of ancient India (left)

(javarman, n.d.)

Chand Baori, one of the deepest stepwells in India

(around & about treviso, 2013) Tomba Brion – San Vito di Altivole

(Pivari, 2014) water filtered and used for “wudu” or ablution before entering the dome space, if it is to be used as a mosque

Balcony to dome, hearkening to welsh tabernacles, i.e.

Llandudno (left) (Geoff, 2013)

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

Kitchen, large enough for demonstration and servery to cafe

HOUSE OF WORSHIP

57

Lotus Temple (Bahá’í House of Worship), Delhi, India (Anon, 2016)

STORYTELLING COURTYARD

Level access Hydroponic planting cultivated from running water trough

North collection tank, to be sent through cafe space to the south

WORLD CAFE Ebeneezer’s Coffee Shop and Restaurant, Barmouth: refit of an old Tabernacle Chapel (Col07, 2012)

Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

SECTION AA 58

SCALE 1:125

Mosaic geometrically tiled colourful floor to site

Glass to central part of roof so running water can be seen from underneath, complementary to the axis of water that bisects the space internally

Minaret

Vertical standing seams to house of worship dome to allow the egress of water from its surface - vertical language transposes across building

Machynlleth Bowling Club Space provided on East side of building to respectful distances from residential units

Clerestory lighting Car park

Residential 17th Century Old Mayor’s House

HIGH

Cooperative Supermarket

STREE

T

Residential

St Mair Catholic Church

HIGH

Pedestrianised high street with single vehicle access, central wildlife corridor and swale

STREE

T

Residential

Souk to front of building blends with the Wednesday charter market, expected to extend across the width of high street in ensuing years

BUILDING VISUAL Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

CONCLUSIONS

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4

MASTERPLAN Overall, I feel that this proposal is successful in its attempt to broaden the sustainability discussion and engage it with the current political situation, and resounds with my personal philosophy. It could be argued that it is imperative that such a strategy is discussed, as migrant intake is projected to increase in the ensuing years. Refugee relocation programmes in particular are currently not organised enough, and settlements need to have infrastructure in place so that they can manage an intake well in advance. This includes centres for counselling and support, houses of worship and educational support.

In-depth sociological research needs to be carried out as to the ideal way of distributing new migrant families so that they feel supported by each other and by the community, case studies need to be drawn from to support solutions such as my proposed “radial clustering” as the thesis will otherwise just be conjectural. As a collaborative piece of research with specialists in the field, along with people who are migrants or refugees themselves will all provide the data required to make this vision a reality. It is a model that could be adapted for other settlements, and a governmental organisation could be started called “planning for migrants” Whilst sustainability in general seems to support grassroots, bottom-up, micro-scale industries and cooperatives, there may be an important “top-down” role identified here well suited to an architect or urban planner. Whilst the numbers of migrants a settlement is planning to accept, and the kinds of infrastructures set in place for their arrival can be decided upon, it requires the designer’s hand to make such a general model fit within a specific place — within its unique history, patterns of employment, income and tenure, and distribution of built developments.

BUILDING The building idea proposed has some formative leads for future projects (i.e. integrating Islamic elements within design). It can be argued that many places of worship, whether these are Mandirs, Synagogues, Gurdwaras etc., carry aesthetics that are at such odds with architecture in their locale, it would be of great architectural merit, in today’s multicultural society, to find a way to bring them in harmony with their surroundings. Consider the “yin-yang” principle described earlier in the report. Whilst the Mosque may incorporate some of the vernacular architecture of its surroundings, whether these be sash windows or English-bond brickwork, new developments in its locale may borrow some of its intrinsic language in turn – a minaret, a dome, a mihrab etc. It may be executed in such a way that is secular, disassociates from faith or religion but merely an appreciation of culture and architecture. It must be done sensitively, in a way that does not culturally appropriate but shows mutual respect. The building proposed also has only been considered in its layout and its aesthetic but not enough in its environmental strategy, which would be ripe to develop at this stage.

CONCLUSION The idea proposed overall is admittedly radical, as it proposes that it might solve rifts in the existing community (i.e. Welsh natives and English non-natives, the town and Centre for Alternative Technology) not by harnessing existing human capital, but by introducing another community completely – will this “wild card” bring the people together or drive them further apart?

What this report has not considered is the range of employment which can be offered to migrant families. Machynlleth was proposed to become the site of a new fibre industry based on hemp, flax and nettle, which could prove a fruitful source of employment for migrants – especially whose spoken or written English is poor, but this is at the expense of an existing arable industry that produces excesses of wool, putting them in competition with local farmers who are already struggling to make ends meet. Outside the scope of this report has also been programmes considered for the progression of migrants to higher levels of employability. A language centre has been proposed, but mainly to aid in cultural exchange and integration.

There are current problems within the town that must be requited with the issue of the arrival of migrants, such as a “brain drain” of young people from small Welsh settlements such as Machynlleth, which the report would need to further develop.

There is scope in this project to develop all leads, whether this is the new fibre industry and how it will work for the local residents, the pedestrianizing strategy relocating carparks outside the town and providing EVCPs, retrofitting existing homes to higher energy standards, the new community-owned bio digester occupying the site of the existing sewage works, flood defence strategies to the west of the town, or reimagining the weekly charter market.

Concerning strategies for migrant intake, there is the issue of what specific additions are required to the hospital, what annexes and extensions need to be made for the school, the implementation and management of local currency systems (the Mach Pound, Timebanking, Furniture Freecycle, Library of Things) in a way that will support the new migrant community.

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

APPENDIX

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5

Visual brainstorm 1 Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Visual brainstorm 2 Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Visual brainstorm 3 Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Original concepts for building Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Building a visual language from permaculture diagrams Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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Elements of Mosque design from New Metric Handbook (Adler et al., 2005, chapter 27-19) and Neufert (Neufert et al., 2008, p. 585) Arjun Chopra, Student No. u1630285, CE7200 Report, Professional Diploma in Architecture AEES, Centre for Alternative Technology

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MACH 2030: VISION FOR A GLOBAL TOWN

REFERENCES

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6

TEXT

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Neufert, E., Neufert, P., Baiche, B. and Walliman, N. (2008). Architects’ data. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science, p.585.

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