Design Development Two

DD2 [RE]PROGRAMING FOR RESPONSIVE REGENERATION THE DESIGN GUIDE

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS DD1 OUTCOME Starting from complete emptiness, the ‘Grid’ structure which will be implemented must evolve and somehow adopt form. It must be built from the ground up with a purpose for every system and intervention. The grid will begin to take shape once there are specific needs for services, such as water harvesting, crop growth, water cleaning, accommodation etc. Each of these

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STAGE 1 A number of low lying and light weight framework structures will occupy the land in areas where it’s needed most (dried tributaries etc). Initially, the structures will just aid the collection of water.

STAGE 2 A series of layers are added to the structure within the second stage. These are mainly to introduce ‘Green Infrastructure’ into the location, but also to deal with expanding population and usage.

STAGE 3 Multiple layers and units are added/taken away as and when needed. Units can be added to deal with increasing water demand, recycling needs, power and energy usage, educational aspects (Research facilities), etc...

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needs will dictate an increase in structural form. To begin with, the needs will be basic (water harvesting and food), this will mean minimal infrastructural changes and development of the grid.

As time passes and the systems required become more elaborate and complex, the grid will expand in tandem with and house these required systems.

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CURRENT STATE READRESSING TPP1

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Rosmaninhal needs to operate in a harmonious way which benefits both the Anthropocentric AND Biocentric. The diagram above shows how regeneration itself is broken down into sub-categories of anthropocentric, anthro-bio, bio-anthro and biocentric. To achieve sustainable development during the urbanisation of Rosmaninhal, an equal balance that benefits both anthropocentric and biocentric systems (equally) is needed...

ANTHRO-BIO Currently Rosmaninhal operates in an unsustainable and unbalanced way which benefits the Anthropocentric and disregards biocentric systems.

The thirst for financial gain results in unsustainable methods of biocentric manipulation, i.e Monosylvical Plantations.

These plantations damage and degrade the landscape for a short term capital gain, the recovery of the land takes decades and is slowly resulting in land abandonment. In order to address this issue, Rosmaninhal must be given the knowledge to implement systems which mutually benefit both the Anthropocentric and Biocentric elements of the area. These could range from the collection and reuse of water, to the production of renewable energy from abundant sources, i.e Sunlight.

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CREATING A BALANCE

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The two possible combinations at present have a restricted outcome. Either anthropocentric systems are dominating biocentric for anthropocentric gain (I.e The use of algal biofuel), OR biocentric systems are overtaking anthropocentric systems ultimately for biocentric gain (I.e Chernobyl was once a purely anthropocentric construct until the explosion which meant biocentric systems could flourish).

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As discovered in previous research, a living system can benefit either biocentric or anthropocentric entities. At times (often) the relationship is focused mainly on the anthropocentric gain as financial stability is usually regarded as being more important than biological stability. The result of these relationships usually degrade any existing biocentric systems. To be deemed a sustainable system, the outcome must benefit BOTH the anthropocentric and biocentric entities equally.

THE SEED OF URBANISM WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY NEED TO SURVIVE? List of basic human survival needs: Oxygen Water Food Shelter Sleep REF: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/123273.aspx

WATER

SHELTER

FOOD

Water is the most important element of survival.

Without water, anthropocentric or biocentric systems would not sustain.

Shelter from the elements is also a very important element of survival.

In Idanha-a-Nova this is mainly heat protection.

Without a sustainable food source, no system will sustain. Food should be readily available and renewable.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would be unsustainable and uneccasary to immediately populate Rosmaninhal with copious amounts of vegetation, hard infrastructure, elaborate waste recycling systems etc... A resiliant approach to anthropocentric needs and materiality must be achieved firstâ&#x20AC;?

AN EMERGENCY PROTOTYPE SETTLEMENT

THE SEED OF URBANISM KEY COMPONENTS FOR URBAN GROWTH AND STABILISATION The formation and development of an emerging sustainable urbanism in Rosmaninhal will incorporate various technologies, systems, methods and materials. All of these fall into seperate categories, these categories become vehicles for regeneration to occur within them.

For example, urbanism is impossible without shade and shelter; In turn, the benefit of shade and shelter would be minimal without clean water and energy to perform daily tasks.

Each of these categories will be implemented at the ‘right’ time, this will depends up on numbers of inhabitants, complexity of needs and access/transportation requirements.

1. SHADE AND SHELTER A series of interventions, systems and processes will be explored and tested under the heading of ‘shade and shelter’. Within the area of study (Rosmaninhal), shade and shelter can be vital due to a climate with immense tempratures and a great lack in water. Shelter structures will begin life as temporary interventions, becoming more permenant as Rosmaninhal obtains more settlers.

2. SPATIAL ORGANISERS Spatial organisers are another key component in sustaining urbanism. They create spatial form, establish hierachy of routes and also fight drought issues by

3. ENERGY A sustainable system must harness and produce it’s own energy. By utilising solar, wave and wind power it will be possible to achieve a fully self-sustaining system which has the ability to power the grid and systems within it.

4. WATER RETENTION STRUCTURES Controlling the flow of the Tagus and providing clean and adequate drinking water is perhaps the most important part of urbanizing Rosmaninhal. This can be done through a variety of methods from dams using locally sourced materials, to small emergency purification systems.

5. INFRASTRUCTURE The input of infrastructure will come with increasing population and permenance.

Once Rosmaninhal has been ‘urbanized’ through small, temporal interventions, hard infrastructure will transform the area into a permanent urban centre.

THE BEGINING TERRACING THE BANKS The aim is to set out key pieces of heavy infrastructure at the very outset. Therefore, MINIMAL disruptions will be caused in the future.

TERRACING_ The main piece of infrastructure is the bank terracing. These terraces will provide staging for anthropocentric and biocentric opportunities such as, crop growth, water harvesting, transport etc

Terracing the landscape creates horizontal planes, allowing space for agricultural use. The terracing technique also slows down run-off and decreases erosion.

Vegetation will also be introduced to slow down run-off. The vegetation will take up rainfall and evapotranspire; Eventually contributing towards a more moist climate.

Evaporation accounts for the movement of water to the air from sources such as the soil, canopy interception, and waterbodies. Transpiration accounts for the movement of water within a plant and the subsequent loss of water as vapor through stomata in its leaves. Although water is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, it goes back into the atmosphere and over time can lead to achieving a more humid climate. This, over a significant amount of time should increase precipitation levels.

TRANSPIRATION

Trees and Scrub

EVAPORATION

Run-off GROUND WATER RECHARGE

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terraces will provide space for prototype settlement to develop. This will comprise of temporary systems and living spaces. These will then evolve, taking on different roles and forms, eventually morphing into the expanding grid structure.

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terraces and valley floors will provide space for the introduction of agriculture, water control, water purification etc...

Water can flood terraces

Eventually, after initial habitation, the water in the tributaries will be controllable. This will result in terraces being routinely flooded to keep agricultural land irrigated

THE BEGINING INFRASTRUCTURAL POINTS Infrastructural points are positioned in a grid formation along the tributaries.

These points will form the foundation of the ‘Grid’ structures.

Infrastructural points are implemented in ‘waves’ of construction.

Each stage will provide enough infrastructure for the current amount of population.

Infrastructure points will be extruded to a particular level in the first instance. The height of the points will be defined by various deciding factors such as, valley depth, amount of inhabitants, purpose of the structure etc...

In steeper valleys where terracing isn’t an option, the grid will be much smaller and less functional. The sole purpose of the grid in a steep valley will be to capture and protect water.

These points will be extruded on insertion to a height of 40m. By doing this, it allows for minimal evasive infrastructural works and creates a resilient framework which can be adapted to meet future requirements.

Horizontal infrastructural points then (when required) extend from the terraced banks, crossing pathways with the vertical ones. This creates ‘spaces’ for potential anthro/bio inhabitation.

Infrastructure points are anchored in place via an EPS floating foundation system. This system uses expanded polystyrene pods as it’s core, which are covered in concrete to take the weight of the structure. This type of foundation is highly sustainable and fast to install.

THE BEGINING COLLECTING PRECIPITATION The main element to include from the outset is a means of water catchment/harvesting. As seen from the data analysis below, the Idanha-a-Nova area is suffering from a significant descrease in the amount of rainfall and the frequency of rainfall. With water being so important to everyday life, the grid must begin life (in essence) as a water catchment system.

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Currently, when it does rain (around 3 months of the year) the precipitation runs off the banks of the valleys, where it flows out of the tributaries, into the tagus and empties downstream at Lisbon into the Atlantic Ocean. In order to harvest this water, run-off must be slowed down and the water needs to be ‘captured’ before it meets the Tagus.

CATCHMENT SYSTEM Freshwater Pools - These 5x5m pools work to capture the water which falls directly into the valley, before it hits the valley floor and runs away. The idea is to provide water when it’s most needed, in the dry summer months.

The structure is fabricated from recycled wood found around the Idanha-a-Nova centre (pallet industry).The wood is then conditioned to maximise water resistancy, then fixed together with Pine sap from the plantation trees.

Pitch Glue on the end of a spreader

This glue drawn from the plantations is known as ‘Pitch’ and has been used for hundereds of years in construction.

The application of pitch in boat building to create water tight seals proves it’s strength!

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The fresh water pools work in a similar way to gas storage units. Sitting within a structural frame, they rise and fall when required.

The ‘Freshwater Pools’ float on the surface of the water and are supported by 4 infrastructural columns. The pools move up and down in unison with changing water levels. This allows for year round access and works to supply water when the tributaries are dry in summer months and collect water in winter months.

PROTECTING THE WATER

NATIVE CLIMBING SPECIES

Although it may be simple enough to collect the water, it proves much more difficult to maintain the water. The main reason the tributaries are dry currently, is evaporation. The intense heat and climate of Idanha-a-Nova means water in Rosmaninhal is often evaporated into the earth’s atmosphere soon after it’s fallen onto the ground.

Passiflora edulis

Jasminum

Vitis vinifera (or similar native grape)

The vegetation will wrap around a wire rope substructure which is stretched over the top of the Freshwater Pool.

Vegetation will begin to develop shelter and shade - Precedent IMAX roundabout London

Vegetation will slowly develop on ‘planes’ situated above the Freshwater Pools. Fast growing, drought tollerant climbing species will be used to initiate fast coverage over the bodies of water.

DEVELOPING URBANISM: SHADE AND SHELTER

SHELTER AND SHADE A TIME TO SETTLE

As seen from the graph opposite, it’s quite clear that the amount of rain in the Castelo Branco region is decreasing each year.

Amount of rain (days) [Castelo Brano, Portugal] 120

Throughout June, July and August, the average days of rainfall per month is just 2.6 days.

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Emergency Shelter

The data above would indicate that the three summer months June, July and August, would be the most logical period to settle in the area.

Once the first ‘wave’ of inhabitants have settled (1-10 People), progress can begin on more permanent living structures.

Before the horizontal supports are introduced to the grid to form the 5x5m ‘Function Pods’, some form of accommodation/shelter is required for initial inhabitants.

The emergency shelters will be temporal and be capable of being recycled back into the grid for various fruture uses.

SHELTER AND SHADE TAKING PRECEDENT FROM DISASTER RELIEF Thousands of temporary shelters are designed and built for disaster relief projects across the globe. One Architect in particular specialises in economic shelters to house earthquake, hurricane and tsunami victims. Shigeru Ban uses cheap and readily available material to create instant shelter structures for people in need.

Paper tubes, wooden joints and plastic sheets have been used to create sturdy shelters in Hati.

The paper tubes can be upcycled and used as pieces of furniture for the permanent spaces to come.

RECYCLED SHELTERS

Recycled shelters and pavillions are a global phenomenon. Plenty of examples have been created by Architects, Artists and Designers. Some of these examples are shown below:

Beer crates are filled with planting to create a cool microclimate in these living pavillions

These two pavillions have been created by using materials which wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ususally serve another purpose after their intended one. Books and Beer crates.

SHELTER AND SHADE APPLYING RECYCLED SHELTER WITH LOCAL MATERIALS “A sustainable strcuture is one which uses materials that have been locally sourced, would’ve been used as waste and are of reltively low cost” Using recycled materials in Idanha

The centre of Idanha-a-Nova could become an exciting laboratory for reclamation. Idanha-a-Nova houses a number of bars/restaurants, hotels, a large supermarket and a petrol station. All of these produce waste products which can be recycled. Wood will be the main material, coming from the surplus of wooden beer crates that the bars hold. This would could flex into various shapes and forms and then be hardened with Pine Sap (Pitch) to form weather resistant shelters.

WOODEN BOTTLE CRATES Idanha-a-Nova centre houses a large supermarket alongside a number of bars and restaurants which use wooden crates. These could be used for structural application in Rosmaninhal EMPTY FOOD CANS/OIL BARRELS Food cans and oil barrels are available from the central supermarket and oil production units all over the municipality. These can be attached in interesting ways to create pavillion/shelter type form TREES - FLEXIBLE WOOD Wood can be a fantastic tool to use for shade and shelter, especially if it’s flexible. The willow tree could possibly be planted and harvested for it’s flexible qualities that make it a great building tool TREES - FLEXIBLE WOOD Wood can be a fantastic tool to use for shade and shelter, especially if it’s flexible. The willow tree could possibly be planted and harvested for it’s flexible qualities that make it a great building tool

A canopy made completely from used plastic bottles - Hung from a wooden frame

SHELTER AND SHADE CREATING EMERGENCY/SHORT-TERM SHELTER â&#x20AC;&#x153;A form of instant shelter must be installed for the first influx of settlersâ&#x20AC;?

ROCK AND WOOD Sustainable shelters made from locally sourced rock and treated wood form quick to assemble and sturdy shelters.

Once the population increases and there is a need for the grid to be populated, wood can be transferred from the temporary shelters into the grid.

Shelters can be open ended with the option to attach side panneling for protection from sunlight or rain.

Locally sourced canvas is treated with pine sap to create cheap waterproof pannels, fixed with an eyelet mechanism.

SHELTER AND SHADE ENCORPORATING SHELTER WITH ACCESS

Although temporary shelters could potentially be forumlated from locally sourced woods and rocks (gabions), these shelters may NOT be sustainable in terms of future use and reuse.

These shelters would need significant effort to be dismantled and reapplied to the grid when the time comes... Therefore it may well be easier to integrate a small number of FLEXIBLE and resilient forms of shelter into the grid from the outset.

To â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;future proofâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the structure, a central lift shaft can be installed to service each platform of the Grid (see above).

Main access to each level will be aquired via a walkway along the X/Y axis.

Secondary access and shelter will be aquired by a more temporal intervention that can move and adapt.

Walkway precedent: Provides access to each part of the grid and also provides a form of shade and shelter to certain systems/elements within the grid.

SHELTER AND SHADE CREATING GREEN SHELTER CREATING SHELTER WITH GREEN ROOFS, WALLS AND FLOORS The main parts of the grid will be accessed via an X/Y walkway system on each level, with optional/moveable secondary walkways which are formed as and when needed by opening and closing the front and back pannels of each container. The pannels on the containers could possibly be vegetated pannels which would allow not only for productive growth of crops, fruits etc, but would also serve as a passive cooling unit and shelter/shade for the adjacent containers.

Retractable pannels filled with green matter act as temporary/ adaptable shade and shelter.

Vegetated pannels will help create a microclimate of cooler air within the closed off areas of the grid.

The pannels on either side of the containers will open out to create temporary walkways and shelter between secondary parts of the grid (example illustrated by the red dashed lines opposite).

The retractable pannels can be erected and taken down as and when needed.

Examples of how the containers could be erected, and planted with vegetation.

SHELTER AND SHADE CREATING GREEN SHELTER

Wooden crates are readily availible around Idanha-a-Nova and used how they are and filled with soil/debry could act as heat stores/insulation/ building blocks/ temperature amelioration/frames for climbers etc.

SHELTER AND SHADE A PERMANENT FORM OF SHELTER

A cablestay type structure will span the upper part of the valley, attached to either side. This will become the basis for anthropocentric agriculture.

NATIVE CLIMBING SPECIES

Passiflora edulis

Jasminum

Vitis vinifera (or similar native grape)

DEVELOPING URBANISM: RENEWABLE ENERGY

HARNESSING ELEMENTS IN ABUNDANCE WIND AND FOG As well as having copious amounts of sun and heat to harvest as renewable energy, Idanhaa-Nova also experiences significant amounts of wind; Of which could also be utilised as a renewable energy, being fed back into the grid system.

Annual average wind speed (days) [Castelo Brano, Portugal]

Amount of fog (days) [Castelo Brano, Portugal] 40 35

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As seen from the graphs above, the amount of wind and the speeds of wind Idanha is experiencing seems to be increasing. Whereas, the amount of fog Idanha is experiencing seems to be decreasing.

FOG_ Capturing and harvesting fog is a fantastic idea, it uses minimal resources and has maximum gain. For example, a case study was carried out on San Francisco by ‘Karl the Fog’...

Fog contains anywhere between 0.05 and 0.5 grams of water per cubic meter. Assuming half the city is covered in fog at a depth of 1000 feet (i.e. the top of Twin Peaks): 49 square miles / 2 = 63,454,700 square meters * 300 meters = 19,036,410,000 m3 * 0.5 grams = 9,518,205,000 grams = 9,518,205 kilograms = 9,518,205 liters = 2,514,440 gallons

Unfortunately however, Idanha doesn’t have anywhere near enough fog to make it worth while harvesting!

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HARNESSING WIND POWER Wind power is usually generated by heavy industrial and unsustainable on implementation wind turbines. Turbines generate electricity by using wind to turn a generator inside a huge (100m high) frame. Recently, an alternative method has been developed for the leading sustainable city Madsar. This approach is much less invasive and can be used in smaller spaces. Windstalks, when wobbling, turn a torque generator which in turn produces electricity.

Windstalks made from carbon fibre and resin; The stalks generate power when wobbled by the wind. 30m in height to allow for maximum exposure.

Steel support structures will house the upcycled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;podsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Energy from the windstalks fed directly into the grid via these support poles.

The cable stay structure provides shelter to the grid and also form a wind tunnel in the valley to maximise the power output of the windstalks.

HARNESSING ELEMENTS IN ABUNDANCE CREATING KINETIC ENERGY

TURBINE GENERATOR

196J

196J

Kinetic energy is energy created from the movement of a particular object. This form of energy could perhaps be encorporated into the grid via a number of methods. Each grid has a central core which it revolves around, at this central core is an elevator. The very movement of the elevator itself could be used to create more power.

EXCESS

PUMP

The diagram above illustrates an example pumping the water up 5 metres (one of the floors on the grid). It shows how the power required to pump the water up initially is lower than the actual power output of the generator, this is due to gravity adding to waters velocity on the way back down to the generator. Once the cycle has been round once, we can carry on reusing the same 196 Joules of energy to pump the excess water back up and round again, and again.

The initial energy required could be provided by solar power, which is abundant in Idanha-aNova.

SOLAR POWER Water is displaced into tanks which move up and down, consequently, moving the lift up and down. A small pump in the bottom tank will be supplied via solar pannels situated at the top of the structure. This pumps water back up to the top to start the whole process over again.

HARNESSING ELEMENTS IN ABUNDANCE RECYCLING BACK INTO THE GRID Once the grid is fully established, the energy produced will need to be restored and reused back in the grid itself in order to be carbon neutral.

Energy, produce, water etc... Could be transported/carried to other parts of the grid, or especially to the terraced banks for agricultural use etc. This could be done through the actual steel strucural supports themselves, illustrated in the diagram above. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stickyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Solar cells could also be used to turn the structural supports into energy masts.

PHOTOVOLTAICS Photovoltaics, is the practice of directly converting sunlight to energy through solar cells.

A simple and typical example of this is a solar powered calculator.

Sticky solar strips

Solar power is readily availible in Idnaha-a-Nova

DEVELOPING URBANISM: WATER RETENTION

RETAINING, INCREASING AND UTILISING WATER THE INITIAL PROCESS Water retention/harvesting is perhaps the most important factor in urbanising Rosmaninhal and implementing the grid system. Processes of water retention and harvesting are applied under two different categories, the Emergency interventions and the Continuous interventions.

Emergency interventions are implemented from the outset and aim to be immedietly effective.

Where as, the continuous interventions are implemented slowly over a period of time and usually have a longer lifespan.

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The concept of Emergency and Continuous regeneration goes back to the work in TPP1

EMERGENCY INTERVENTIONS Freshwater Pools The Freshwater Pools will be one of the first water catchment systems to be applied to the tributary valleys. These pools work as a system to capture water which falls directly into the valley bottoms, instead of it flowing into the Tagus and away downstream.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vegetation Slabsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 5x5m will be slowly established over a lightweight cable-stay style structure. These will work to shield the water from evaporation, allowing for future use in times of low precipitation.

CAPILLARY ACTION By incorporating climbing species into the main structural posts of the grid, it’s possible to transport water around the grid via capillary action. Capillary action is the term used to describe water moving through space without using external force/energy. Water could be moved and transported around the grid without the need for pumps and energy sources.

Green Walls and floors By using vegetation in the structure, this can act as the ‘wick’ for the capillary process, transporting water from part to part.

Water can be transported from the freshwater pools at the very bottom of the structure, up via capillary action to the various green walls, roofs and floors in the structure for irrigation, humidification etc.

The capillary action draws water up through the climbers. When the water hits a green area which consists of green walls, floors and roofs, the water will act as passive cooling for this area, amelieorating temprature.

When/If the water eventually gets to the top of the structure, the water cannot travel back down, therefore it evaporates into the atmosphere, in turn creating a humid atmosphere.

RETAINING, INCREASING AND UTILISING WATER DAMMING THE TRIBUTARIES Damming can be used as an emergency water conservation technique, but can also be unsustainable, causing problems up and down stream, reducing silt levels etc..

Where damming is required, natural dams will be utilised causing minimal invasion.

Water currently runs directly off the banks, into the tributaries momentarily.. and then off into the Tagus. This causes the problems with lack of water and the drying up of the valleys.

Tagus

By damming the tributaries at the Tagus, this will stop the loss of run off.

Tagus

Readily available materials can be used as damming agents. Gabion dams illustrate how this can be done to hold back water, controlling and restricting the flow.