Stephen CANTANDO

STEPHEN CANTANDO ARAL SEA: RESTORED Advisor: Robert Nalls

CAS

I C W C I FA S

1 991

1 992

1 993

ICSD RCH T H ES I S P R O P O S A L

WORLD BANK

OTHER COUNTRIES

The major study for this thesis explores multi governmental meeting spaces and research facilities in an effort to enable the leaders of the Aral Sea region to reach meaningful and impactful decisions quicker than is currently possible given dispersed meeting places.

This thesis is meant to address scaling of program over time as the waters of the Aral Sea return to provide all parties involved optimum working conditions throughout restoration.

Public interaction with each group and with the site itself will drive much of the layout and site features, which expand and adapt according to improving site conditions.

1 9 94

C U LT U R A L R ES E A R C H Over the summer of 2015, a course on Vernacular Architecture was completed exploring the culture of the Qaraqalpaq people. These native people to the Aral sea region are 1 among many to exist and continue to exist to this day. This course had two parts. First, To analyze their vernacular housing. Second, to address the needs of these people and develop an architectural intervention that may help solve a problem.

2002

2013

KAZAKHSTAN

UZBEKISTAN TURKMENISTAN

S U M M E R T E R M R ES EARC H

UN

ECI FA S

D EV E L O P M E N T PA RT I I R EG I O N A L I N P U T

Further research yielded additional insight into how the region manages its resources and how its cooperation has made meaningful impacts.

The exact working of the governmental agencies have been brought into the project as the real clients for which this thesis hopes to serve in addition to providing usable public space and lab space for generating data.

This research shed more light on the entire picture of the regional condition and allowed for the exploration of a broader scaled intervention.

TAJIKISTAN KYRGYZSTAN

f i n a l d ev e l o p m e n t

Developing the program of this thesis project centered around understanding the needs of the three major user groups: Public, Research and Government.

Through the research process it was found that there are many existing government and non governmental agencies working to reverse the Aral Sea’s decline. These agencies became the clients for which the meeting and lab spaces were built for.

aralsk harbor

By expanding the central focus form the building site to a broader view of the overall harbor, this thesis would begin to impact the city of Aralsk as a whole as well as the Aral sea region. A brief master planning phase allowed the Aralsk harbor to be envisioned as a newly thriving hub that industry and public people can share.

Shipping, recreation and a continued legacy use of the thesis specific buildings would allow for a gradual evolution of the cities harbor and provide all parties a place to reestablish home.

C E N T R A L A S I A N STAT E S 1 9 9 1 After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, 5 independent states were formed. These states act in cooperation for a number of traded goods including water, power, food and equipment.

These countries realized they needed cooperative groups whose purpose is to stabilize and restore the Aral sea region to what it was 6 decades ago. The following are these groups and what they do.

I N T E R STAT E C O M M I S S I O N F O R WAT E R C O O R D I N AT I O N 1 9 9 2

The mission of ICWC is to work as a regional body of the Central Asian states to deal with joint solution of issues related to shared water management, effective use and protection in the Aral Sea basin and to implement of commonly elaborated programs following the principles of collectivity and mutual respect of parties’ interests.

I N T E R N AT I O N A L F U N D F O R S AV I N G T H E A R A L S E A 1 9 9 3

The main objective of IFAS is to finance and credit joint practical action and perspective programs and projects on saving the Aral, ecological rehabilitation of Aral Sea region and the Aral Sea Basin as a whole taking into account the interests of all states in the region.

I N T E R STAT E C O M M I S S O N - S U STA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T 1 9 9 4 The main objective of IFAS is to finance and credit joint practical action and perspective programs and projects on saving the Aral, ecological rehabilitation of Aral Sea region and the Aral Sea Basin as a whole taking into account the interests of all states in the region.

R E G I O N A L C E N T E R O F H Y D R O L O GY 2 0 0 2

The main purpose of RCH is to improve the system of hydro-meteorological forecasting, environmental monitoring and data exchange between the National Hydromets in the region.RCH operates in close collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization, the Interstate Council for Hydrometeorology of the CIS and other international organizations. RCH is currently located in Kazakhstan.

EXECUT I VE C OM M ITTE E 201 3 p rogram mas s i n g 1

RESEARCH: INTRO | SITE DESCRIPTION

p rogram mas s i n g 1

The mission of EC IFAS is to coordinate cooperation at national and international levels in order to use existing water resources more effectively, and to improve the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea Basin. EC IFAS serves as a platform for a dialogue among the countries of Central Asia, as well as the international community.

RESEARCH: PROGRAM ABSTRACT

Sarasota, USA

M OT E M A R I N E L A B

MASS . D ES I G N GRO U P Butaro, Rwanda

B U TA R O H O S P I TA L

aral sea: returning

The Mote Marine Laboratory is a research and educational organization centered in Sarasota at their main hub.

Here they have researchers and scientists working to maintain the world’s oceans and educate people about them. This organization has grown over the years to include aquariums and field stations throughout south Florida with projects all over the world. It serves as a great example as to the scalable nature and diversity of marine research facilities.

The butaro district hospital designed

by MASS. hits several of the principles and programmatic functions similar to my thesis. Through local development MASS. was able to achieve a design that is sensitive to the surrounding culture, by incorporating local materials and local skill/labor.

The project significantly reduced its overall cost and generated jobs for the people who would one day benefit from the hospital.

One major driving force behind exploring this thesis was the evidence that the sea is in part returning due to the vast effort spent by many people over many years. It is easy to look at the situation and shake your head admitting defeat. This project was questioned in its early stages and I did not have the evidence to fully defend the idea. However, through an immense amount of research it became apparent that this crisis can in fact be solved.

PROBLEM Without education and research into maintaining the planet’s oceans, we may not treat them with respect.

PROBLEM Spread of airborne disease due to either a lack of proper healthcare or illdesigned health clinics.

FAC I L I T Y E X PA N S I O N Through the grown of the organization over man years, additional buildings were acquired allowing for an evolving array of research and educational centers. Four additional field stations perform additional work all related to the same network.

D ES I G N S OLUT I ON Create a series of separated open-air buildings for each individual function.

Ensure proper ventilation through the form of the building. Elevate patient experience through beds viewing out across the landscape.

TA K E AWAY There may not be a need or the resources to construct and operate the full breadth of research and educational programs and a phased approach may be best. While this thesis is exploring the scaling up and down of its program it will be important to understand exactly when and where facilities begin to appear or disappear.

TA K E AWAY Critical inclusion of the regional context will better inform program functions, construction, aesthetic and experiences.

RESEARCH: CASE STUDIES

Efforts to reverse the crisis include climate stabilization through planting native trees to breeding fish that were once unable to survive the water conditions in preparation for the returning sea. In a documentary there was a scene where an older man from Aralsk was talking to some young kids about when he used to swim in the sea. These kids have never seen the waters of the Aral but there is hope that in their lifetime, they will one day enjoy the sea as well.

f i s h e r i es

sa x a u l t r e es

Local labor and integration of building practices employ and empower residents and reduce costs that may otherwise inhibit the project.

INSPIRATION

harbou r mode l 1 - 1 0 0

3 d m as s i n g p r i n t s

m a s s i n g - b u i l d i n g c o n c e pt

b u i l d i n g i n t e r ac t i o n s

site plannING

PROCESS: SKETCHES

m e e t i n g m as s i n g

s ect i on mas s i n g 1 - 8

final site model 1-32

PROCESS: SKETCHES MODELS

ARALSK

I N T E S A S A N PA O L o O F F I C E BUILDING Renzo Piano

s e a pav i l i o n St e fa n o B o e r i A r c h i t e t t i

MO’YNAQ

A R A LS K Kazakhstan 46.792385 | 61.672794

va n k e r e s i d e n t i a l c u lt u r e center

s ite se l ect i on

Three sites were originally presented during the fall review.

As it stood, there was a network of three distinct functions that would work in tandem to achieve the goal of helping restore the Aral Sea. A stationary outpost at the Kokaral Dam, mobile research hubs that shifted with the rising/ falling waters and a governmental/public home base in the city of Aralsk. Ultimately, it was the home base in Aralsk that would be developed moving forward and presented as the final thesis site. This city is the northernmost settlement and would be one of the first places to benefit from the returning waters. It is estimated that within a decade the waters may return to the shores.

FALL REVIEW: SITE

i roje arc h itects & p lan ners

p r ec e d e nts an d s k e tc h es

a r c h i t e c t u r e o f asta n a , k a z a k h sta n

FALL REVIEW: PRECEDENTS

PROGRAM Each organization will have a number of pavilions that would provide working and meeting space to be stitched together in a large campus.

D AT U M The monumental site walls and interior structural walls feel like one form as they shift throughout the site.

Expansion and contraction of the roof can be explored to bring spaces inside and outside as the site changes.

AC C ESS The site is meant to be a connecting point between the public, research and governmental groups. Separate entries are used to allow for an open public arm down the length of the coast while providing vehicular access and parking for the other 2 user groups.

I NS IDE OUT Until exterior conditions improve, light wells and interior gardens will be interwoven into the buildings allowing for the people inside to experience nature. As the climate improves, more of the building can be opened into exterior space.

FALL REVIEW: DESIGN ELEMENTS

ROOF The roof is meant to be a series of modular forms that will allow the building to transform over time. Openings can be closed, portions can be removed/added.

PAV I L I O N S The interior pavilions are meant to be able to stand alone when removed from the protection of the roof.

The pavilions can stand alone, grouped or even be moved/removed.

EXTER I OR Spaces external to the large roof and pavilions will be similar in scale with regards to the field of walls.

Site elements and various other amenities will be implemented to make the site usable all year round and all through restoration.

INTERIOR The interior is meant to feel like an extension of the exterior space just covered by this lightweight roof to provide a break from the thermal and environmental conditions outside.

m at e r i a l s The design aspirations for this Thesis were to develop a clean language of building components that could be replicated and assembled in number of different configurations. Using materials that could allow for local assembly was important in an effort to create a sense of ownership and community between the people living in Aralsk and the new people that would be coming to work.

While drawing from the local vernacular was difficult due to the immediate transition from traditional yurts and earth built home to soviet era concrete apartments, inspiration came when exploring rammed earth walls. These would be integrated as locally built elements, structure and monumental elements throughout the project .

TECHNICAL REVIEW: MATERIALS & PRECEDENTS

i n d i v i d ua l pav i l i o n s through-corridor d i st r i b u t i o n

unconditioned

TECHNICAL REVIEW: MECHANICAL

semi-conditioned

m e c h a n i ca l

st r u c t u r e

The idea of individual pavilions was rooted in allowing the various spaces to act independently while the public and nature twisted through them across the site. With a better understanding of the climatic conditions it became clear that a roof (possibly temporary) should be introduced both to regulate the thermal climate but keep bad air quality from harming those inside.

Routing the central systems through the main corridors allows for the individual pavilions to locally heat/cool as needed while the corridors are maintained at a semi conditioned level.

In keeping with the straightforwardness of the design aspirations, an effort was made to unify the large campus with its various program elements along a few simple structural members.

Sections taken at these various locations illustrate the depth of programmatic conditions throughout the site. Loosely define during the fall review, these connections and the actual components would be developed later on and applied across the site.

At this point in time a special meeting space building was being explored that would break from the simple elements being used elsewhere. The sketches and renders above show the direction this was headed.

TECHNICAL REVIEW: STRUCTURE

SITE ENTRY : Connecting the buildings back to the city center was a critical design factor. Its hard to design a site for people to use it if people can’t/don’t want to get to it.

The northern portion of the site opens up to a plaza for use as a market and other social gathering events. An existing rail line cuts across the western edge as a newly built walkway that extends from this entry all the way through the site.

aralsk harbor p l a n d ev e l o p m e n t

s ite e l e m ents Throughout the development of this thesis it became clear that the building envisioned to house the various user groups would be better developed if its surrounding context were also examined. The entire harbor sits as a reminder of a time not so long past and this study simply looked forward to how the harbor could once again be used by all. Shipping for fishing, recreation and an ecological transition between sea and land. All are represented along the existing and future coastline.

FINAL REVIEW: SITE ENTRY OPEN MARKET

FINAL REVIEW: HARBOR PLAN/DIAGRAMS

The modular adaptable site plan concept revolves around the initial building of a field of rammed earth walls. These walls will become the anchors for each pavilion to grow from. They can be built from local material with local labor. This can create a sense of ownership by the people of this city and set the stage for future development. The various other building components needed to create interior spaces that could operate separately mechanically. Systems are routed through the under-slab area that stitches the pavilions together. Several other types of modular wall were developed. End walls that can move along the rammed earth walls needed to be light weight but also provide means for passive ventilation as well as lateral support through lightweight robs. Infill walls created the remaining edges. These panels came in various types from doors to transparent/ translucent and solid depending on the adjacent program.

Coming around the recreation field enters into the government and research campus centered around the large open meeting space.

Some pavilions act as lab spaces that can grow and shrink with the need of the current point in time.

FINAL REVIEW: SITE PLAN | ELEVATION | SECTION | VIEWS

1

HIGH TO ROOF

LOW WITH PANEL

2

3

4

rammed earth wall

TWO HEIGHTS

STRUCTURAL CONNECTIONS

5 6

7

INSULATED STRUCTURAL PANEL OPERABLE PANEL

8

ETFE PANEL WITH LATERAL BRACING

light weight wall / lateral support

10

10' x 10' roof panels

2

roof structure @ 5' OC

3

ceiling structure @ 2.5' oc

4

2.5' x 5' ceiling panels

5

insulated structural infill panels

6

light weightwall / lateral support

7

rammed earth wall

8

5' wall panel (various types)

9

rasied floor panels

10 foundation pad / utility routing

LATERAL BRACING

PASSIVE VENTILATION

solid metal panel transparent with screen transparent translucent (privacy) door

9

1

CONNECTING BETWEEN WALL TYPES

BUILDING MODULARITY K I T O F PA RT S

Early on in the development of this thesis it became clear that a building that reflected the changing conditions of the sea as a result of the collaboration of the people who would be working at this location would appropriate. As the sea returns and conditions change the nature of work being completed at this site will change. Users, and program will fluctuate. The time line for this change is open-ended so developing a kit of parts that would be available for adapting to new conditions was important.

The following diagrams illustrate the components developed. Their extent and sample conditions are provided to help build an understanding of the overall system.

FINAL REVIEW: BUILDING COMPONENTS

5' wall panel (various types)

various wall types

indoor / outdoor connection

5' pivoting wall panel

expandable pavilions

central meeting pavilion

FINAL REVIEW: BUILDING COMPONENTS

“Don’t get lost in the details.”

“Don’t forget the POETRY of it all.”

Thank you to those who helped along the way and to those who will remain positive influences moving forward Interior courtyards house curated species of plants that used to thrive in the region. They exist as a reminder for what we stand to gain back in the future.

This hand drawn overview of the harbor in full swing provide a glimpse into the future as to what the city would gain from the return of the Aral sea. From a renewed fishing port to a lively public waterfront full of recreation and leisure. For a city with generations growing up without the Sea, this would surely feel like a new home.

FINAL REVIEW: ARAL RESTORED