Masters of Architecture - The Future of Plastic - (5th Year)

Final Drop Image

Research (Left Section)

C o n n e c t i n g The P o r t & T h e C i t y

N

1:5000

Feed the entire worlds population with 2% of the seas surface

Resource for Bio-plastics

Resource for Bio-fuel and chemicals

Nature conservation and positively affect fish population

Livestock feed

Alternative for mature

Why Seaweed

1

2

Sieving

5

3

Optical Sorting

4

Washing

Manual Checking

Grinding

PET

6

Decontamination

HDPE 7

Creation of Recycled Products to service the ports needs in the Packaging and transportation of the Perishable Goods

Digram Explaining the Process of Recycling Plastic

Beau McCarthy- Synopsis – The Poly Palace

The Majority of crude oil that enters the EU passes through Antwerp’s port. “Antwerp's docklands, with five oil refineries, are home to a massive concentration of petrochemical industries, second only to the petrochemical cluster in Houston, Texas”.

Apart from making fuel there are lots of other bi- products that are created from crude oil. One of these uses is predominant in the port of Antwerp; the creation of raw plastic. Previously, raw plastic would get transported to East Asia, primarily China. These plastic pellets would be made into ‘single use’ plastic products. Once created these would come back to Antwerp’s port and be used for packaging or many other single uses throughout the port. Once used these ‘single use’ plastics would either end up in landfill or transported back to china to get recycled and re-purposed again.

Therefore, my aim is to create a closed loop economy within the port, moving away from reliance on China. This will ensure the Polymers (bio-plastic & normal plastic) are sustainably sourced, used and recycled within Antwerp’s Port. As Virgin Plastic is used increasingly less due to the environmental issues it causes there will be a search for alternatives. However, all the plastic we have already created can be recycled and can re-purposed, rather than disposing of it.

One major user of ‘single use’ plastic is the 2 million square meters of refrigerators for perishable goods that is located in the southern area of the port. When they are delivered and ready to export these ‘fruit & vegetables’ will be packaged in “single use plastics”, then transported across Europe and the world, where the plastic will be disposed of and unlikely to be recycled.

My intervention is on the threshold between the city and the port where this process can happen on an industrial level. Where it can also facilitate research into sustainable polymers where the bioplastics can be researched and developed within the facility. Also I will aim to be extracting the starch from seaweed and algae which is a product that isn’t fully utilised as my site has direct access to the sea. Kelp (type of seaweed) grows naturally in the North Sea, which is one of the most convenient sources for creating Bio-plastic due to its high yields and strength properties.

“0.03 per cent of the brown seaweed in the world could replace all of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET)”.

To summarise my intervention will comprise of process, production, research and education.

My project will facilitate and recycle the huge backlog of ‘used’ plastic that is apparent throughout Europe. It will encompass a large research facility dedicated to the development of Bio-plastics and how these can be introduced on an industrial scale, where Antwerp’s port will become a testbed on using these ‘bio-plastics’ for the packaging and transportation of goods. The public engagement will be enabled through participation on small scale ‘making’ workshops whilst also viewing the large industrial processes from one large promenade that will span above and across the whole processing plant. There will be temporary plastic pavilions that will be built within the facility to serve the public needs from a small exhibition space, to sculptures demonstrating the huge possibilities of building with plastic. Incorporated will be spaces to teach the public about the potential of bio-plastic’s and how it can replace plastic, in particular ‘single use’ plastics, such as most packaging we use daily but throw away after one use.

The architecture will comprise of one overarching roof that is inspired by the industrial buildings that are located throughout the port. The whole building will be made out of plastic to demonstrate the potential of it. Therefore, I have created a ‘Poly(mer) Palace. I designed a series of large cross vaults similar to that of a gothic cathedral of 3 varying sizes from small to large, where the public platform and boat delivery will be housed within the smaller arches and the Bio- Plastic and the two largest arches will house the Processing plant.

My intervention is on the threshold island (pivot point) between the city and the port where this process can happen on a local and industrial level. Where a newly created park that is underused will act as the access and procession to my project located at the higher end of the Island. It will intend to reinvigorate the park. Where the juxtaposing of Nature and machines can work harmoniously together.

Crude Oil extraction from Saudi Arabia

Crude Oil is turned into plastic in Antwerps Port

Plastic goods are exported to Europe

Used Plastic goods are sent back to China to get Recycled

Pre January 2018 all the West’s Plastic Waste was Recycled in China

Post January 2018 China said ‘NO’ to recycling anymore of West’s Plastic Waste

Create a Circular Economy around Plastics that are Created, Recycled and Repurposed in the Port

The Worldwide Journey of Plastic

Social Engagement

New Materials

New products

Through foods grown for consumption & Bioplastic production conversations are started amongst the occupants

New products & packaging made from Bioplastics

New products & packaging made from recycled plastic

Ideas

Bioplastic Packaging

Recycled Plastic Packaging

OR

OR

Food Production Bio-Plastics Production Plastic Recycling

Post Production Uses of Plastics & Plants Matter

Antwerp - City & Port Plan

The whole port

The area I’m focussing on

Localities of the Site

Packaging + ripening - 2 Millions square meters of refrigerators for perishable goods

Site Located on threshold between city and the canal system used by the port

The current Location of the oil refinery turning crude oil into polymers 680,000 meters squared for polymers storage

The access route to the site either as a pedestrian or as a container ships for deliveries

Access Routes for Delivery’s and Pedestrians

Routes to all the various localities

Ground Floor Plan

1st Floor Plan

Long Section

N Site Plan 1:2000

Exploded Axonometric

Conceptual Axonometric

Access Mound

Entrance

Plastic Recycling Plant

Bio- Plastic Production Plant

Architectural technology

1

A C 200

E

800

D

B

A) Hollow core plastic column B) Secondary plastic column C) 200mm non structural screed D) 800mm deep fibre reinforced concrete raft E) Sphere void former

Secondary Structure Detail

2

600mm

600mm

600mm

600mm

600mm

B

A

C D

Section A-A

A

A

A) 800mm deep fibre reinforced concrete ground beam / pile caps B) 800mm diameter bored pile - primary (30m below ground level) C) 800mm diameter bored pile - secondary (30m below ground level) D) Pile fibre reinforcement and spiral sheer links

Retaining Wall Detail

Perspective Short Section

C

B A

3 F

D

E

G H

Hollow core plastic beam

Air Channel

300mm

A) Polycarbonate pyramid skylight B) Aluminium retaining angle C) Angle retaining fastener D) Neoprene gasket E) Condensate gutter F) Aluminium drain channel G) Hollow core plastic beam H) Air channel

Roof Gutter Supporting Polycarbonate Pyramid Detail

4

Section A-A

A

A

A

D

G

B I

J

J

K

C

E

F

H

FFL

A) Hollow core plastic column

F) Sphere void former

B) Secondary plastic column

G)Waterproof membrane

K) 800mm diameter bored pile to bearing strata (30m below ground level)

C) Column base plate

H) Fibre reinforced mesh top and bottom of slab

L) Pile fibre reinforcement and spiral sheer links

D) 150mm non structural screed E)800mm deep fibre reinforced concrete ground floor suspended slab between pile caps

I) Fibre reinforcement sheer links J) Pile lapping reinforcement mesh bottom of slab

Column Base Plate Detail