EDIBLE INFRASTRUCTURES © Magdalena Haslinger Copenhagen 2017 Thesis project at the Royal Danish Acadamey of Fine Arts, CITA Studio project participants(s): 1 Magdalena Haslinger (tutor: Phil Ayres)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION II DESIGN
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p5. the core conflitcs of food production on a global level | p5/6. considering alternative resource scenarios | p7. analysis of resource scenarios in connection to district of Norrebro in Copenhagen
If the detachment between production and consumption of current agricultural food production is considered the main reason both for obscure and environmental irresponsible production conditions and unhealthy eating routines, what are the architectural implications of bringing them together in an urban environment? Could locally distributed infrastructural architectures dedicated to aeroponic horticultural production REACT to these conditions and propose “efficient” but also spatially enriching and participation enhancing alternatives? To understand the actual problem and the aspects which could be targeted with an architectural solution, intensive research was undertaken. Preceding and in parallel to the actual design work the tool of the diagram helped to understand the core difficulties as well as to conceptualize abstract aspects and solutions before concretizing parts of them into specific designs. Additionally, since “lack of awareness” was identified as part of the problem, it generally seemed necessary to visualize and emphasize important considerations.
INTRODUCTION
to the “food-problem”...
image to the right: detailed analyis of energy production through means of “already existing� resources (motional energy, rainwater and waste) and their energy output in relation to aeroponic production.
image to the left: interconnected auto-monitored resource cycles where different ways of interacting with the aeroponic system are conceptualizecd (harvesting, energy contribution to the system through waste or physical activity) x
Even though food production in general and horticultural production in particular has vast and hugely complex implications the main discussion nevertheless always circulates around two closely connected main assumptions: FIRSTLY, that how agricultural/ horticultural production, connected practices and habits are currently set-up negatively affects environmental and individual health as well as individual awareness and thus the individual’s relation to the process....
....And SECONDLY, that the provision of basic nutrition will be one of the greatest challenges for urban sustainability in a post oil economy, suggesting that “what and how is grown, moved and consumed is going to be reshaped, everywhere, whatever terrain, country or politics, whether in developing or developed world”. As a reaction to these assumptions the projects conceptual thinking is anchored in the conviction that the individuals physical and mental detachment from production realities – seemingly the result of a process of decades of division of labor and efficiency increase – is at the core of the problem.
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p14. different plants and their properties/ needs in comparison p15. exploded axo, showing the different layers of the envisaged structure
The design imagines a situation, where increased technological and procedural efficiency meet joyful interaction and involvement strongly contributing but also transgressing the mere purpose and activities of horticultural production, thereby (re)establishing the individuals and collectives interest and excitement for the latter through architectural means. As a conceptual strategy, the project aims to investigate the following questions: How “ELSE”/ differently could horticultural food production manifest architecturally? Which SYSTEMS at which scales are/ could/ should be considered? What are the spatial and social benefits beyond mere provision of locally produced food?
As an exemplary solution, the project proposes an “edible infrastructure” in Nørrebro, a district in the North of Copenhagen. As a permanent, though constantly changing intervention between existing buildings, it spans the streetscape and offers its residents access to production and recreation facilities.
THE DESIGN
responding on different scales...
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THEREBY the structure.... …REACTS to specific cultural and urban patterns The Danish society with its concept of faellesskab (“community”) focusing on communal activity and sharing (facilities) in general and Nørrebro - a recently become hip district of Copenhagen with a lot of adventurous residents – in particular, form the ideal microclimate for the implementation of a semiprivate infrastructure. This enables the efficient sharing of tasks, produce, resources and experiences, creating a sense of community at a different, but manageable scale beyond the individual flat and the immediacy of the “staircase neighbours” but below the anonymity of the block. …REACTS to existing resources Making use of the resource of communal, street facing staircases, a typical feature of Copenhagen housing schemes from times when “double circulation” (meaning a street- and courtyard facing wooden staircase) was a security measurement in case of fire, the spatial set-up of the intervention is highly efficient. Rainwater from the adjacent and own roof areas, cleaned and stored under the street level before brought into circulation, is the main water resource for the aeroponic system. The piezo-electronic flooring in the central communal spaces (trampoline, nets and flooring of communal gathering space) guarantees energy efficiency for the highly electricity intensive operating of the aeroponic system; presupposed the inhabitants –seen as human energy resource - are willing to contribute and make use of the facilities.
image to the right: zoom-in section parallel to existing buildings
image to the left: view into harvesting “hallway� with hexagonal planting elements closed
image to the right: zoom-in section parallel to existing buildings
image to the left: view into harvesting “hallway� with hexagonal planting elements opened
image to the right: detail of connectoin between rotational elements and fixed frames
image to the left: rotational elements in motion
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THEREBY the structure.... …REACTS to the physical needs of the plants and the nutritional needs and tastes of its inhabitants. The street facing boundaries are composed of pivotable, hexagonal panels accommodating aeroponic cultivation systems. To optimize surface and thus harvest area the elements are not flat but tilted. The plants sit in mist-filled “bubbles” whose size changes over time, according to the plantroots` spatial needs. Depending on the amount and type of vegetables needed and the position of the panels (varying according to ventilation or light needs of plants or users) the overall appearance and atmosphere of the infrastructure can change radically. …REACTS to seasonal and diurnal change To improve plant growth and decrease the harvests’ dependence on outside conditions, rotating growth lights can turn the infrastructure into a glowing lantern during nights. In winter pivoted heat-elemtents create a thermal threshold to keep the cold outside and production going.
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image to the right: zoom-in into floor plan; transition between existing building and new structure
image to the left: night view into interior of “communal space” with overgrown “relaxopod” net structure
image to the right: zoom-in floor section opened position of rotable elements
image to the left: day view into interior of “communal space” with overgrown “relaxopod” net structure
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Magdalena Haslinger MAA regnilsah@gmail.com +45 22556144 Copenhagen 2017