Bio Integrated Design Portfolio

UCL: BARTLETT FACULTY OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

PORTFOLIO

Year 3 Semester 2

A Mycological Revolution

BRIEF

In this project I designed a mycelium growth facility and laboratory for the ‘myco-remediation' of UK brownfield sites.

This Architecture is a futuristic culmination of my ecologically focused design ideas and my proposal encapsulates and exhibits mycelium; its construction, restorative and circular properties, in a building which is designed to both live and decompose, leaving the site ecologically enriched at the end of its life cycle.

STRATEGY + DESIGN APPROACH

The remediation of the site is split into a three stage time line.

1. TOXICITY

2.REMEDIATION

3.ENRICHMENT

Using precedents and ecological research I related my design process to the site through physical model making and sketching.

CONCEPTUAL MODEL MAKING

0y

THE SEED

On-site mycoremediation begins in Thame.

5y

CIRCULAR INDUSTRY FLOURISHING

Construction

10y

GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL GROWTH

The

100y

200y

MYCHORIZAL APOCALYPSE BEGINS TOTAL PLANETARY REMEDIATION

TECHNICAL STUDIES - INVESTIGATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH MATERIAL, STRUCTURE AND FORM

Suspended timber floor system

Encouraged ecological connection and growth with the building

Structural support, connection to ground

Underground spaces with structural reinforcement Earthy, mychorizal cladding: connected to the ground

Mycelium growth on underground exposed earth walls

200x300mm Curved Glulam Beams forming a primary structural frame.

200x300mm Load Bearing Glulam Pillars supporting roof beams and holding framing for secondary walls and glazing.

50x250mm Timber Roof Joists acting as secondary cross bracing for the primary frame.

200x300 Timber Floor Joists acting as secondary structural frame and load distribution for pile foundations.

300x400mm Glulam Ring Beam holding primary structural frame and acting as load distribution for pile foundations.

Multi-Species Threshold

A Multi-Species Threshold with no thermal or moisture control, allows the building to live and decay in its life cycle returning to the earth as a environment in which mycelium can thrive.

B Clearly Defined Human Threshold with thermal insulation and a moisture barrier creating a warm, dry space inhabitable by humans.

C Staircase to the underground lined with Cast Iron Wall Panels, often open to the earth behind allowing samples of mycelium to be taken from the different soil strata height.

D Ventilation Chimney with mechanical closing panel cutting off fresh air supply to the underground space in case of Fire. Chimneys fitted with fan systems to keep Airflow to underground spaces regular and 02 levels high.

Defined, Insulated Human Threshold

Non-Insulated Human Threshold

Damp Proof Membrane, Non-Permeable Barrier

15. EXPLORING HUMAN AND NONHUMAN THRESHOLDS, THERMAL CONTROL, MOISTURE CONTROL AND AIR CIRCULATION SYSTEMS.

E Thermally to Non-Thermally Insulated Human Spaces, both feature moisture control through damp proof membranes

F Multi-Species Space, with cast iron panels removable backs, exposing the earth for soil and mycelium samples to be taken. No thermal or damp control requiring precautionary PPE to be Worn

G Airlock Door, creating sealed Thermal and Damp Bridges between human and multi-species thresholds.

H Underground Pile Foundation, with air gap between base of cast iron tunnel panels and earth below. Drainage Systems in place around the walls to keep excess water flowing away from underground spaces.

HAND MODELLING FINAL CONCEPT @1.25

This model was made up of hundreds of layers of cardboard individually marked, cut and stuck together to form the underground earthy ‘voids’ of the laboratory, resulting in a model over 1m tall. I then used my skills in autoCAD and Adobe Illustrator to draw up and subsequently laser cut the individual components of the cast iron structure before joining and fitting these into the cardboard mass.

Alongside the construction of my model I grew mushrooms using live mycelium blocks to create a theatrical, living growing final model to display at my end of year exhibition alongside in my portfolio.

A New Market Hall for Thame

Through the design of public hall, Citizens Advice Bureau and publicly-accessible toilet, I built upon my ongoing project research into civic architect form, the representation of ‘material time’, and applied my studies into mycelium to scale, in context.

This project facilitated my research into designing for ecology, with my market hall connecting an underground network of mycelium to the town of Thame in an environmentally idealistic and futuristic way.

This project drew inspiration from bioclimatic architectural precedents which was reflected in the design process of the market-hall with careful consideration of the environment, orientation and ecology on-site.

3

Year 3 Semester 1

Lightning Tower

‘Lightning Tower’ was a short two week design project developing my material investigations into mycelium, expanding upon my architectural drawing skills, and introducing themes of civic form, plantbased construction and 'material time'.

My output was a lightning tower made from experimental mycelium panels which stimulated the underground mychorizal networks of Thame resulting in a town-wide mushroom ‘bloom’ after a storm.

4

Dissertation

‘A Vertical Gap’

Research Question:

How the redesign of urban greening

Strategies in British urban environments may enable a building to enhance its local ecology.

This dissertation investigates how we can redesign urban greening strategies in British urban environments to enhance the local ecology.

I explore the idea that most current ‘sustainable’ design methods, while seemingly ecologically driven, often prioritize human needs over true ecological value. By anylising literature and undergoing my own case studies, I critique these ‘human centric’ design methods and question how to truly support ecological enhancement.

I propose that underused vertical surfaces present a unique opportunity to host nature within the built environment. I argue for a shift toward ecocentric design, where we allow nature to coexist more freely with our built environment through designing for nature rather than pushing it out of our spaces. This work reflects my belief that through thoughtful design, we can create urban spaces that not only serve humans but also support the broader ecological systems they inhabit.

5

Year 2 Semester 2

‘WOKE ON WEEDS’

STRATEGY + DESIGN APPROACH

This project studied the unplanned growth of plants - often labelled as weeds - in a urban Brownfield site and approached designing of the building to encourage maximised natural planting of flora through varying types of seed dispersement, and supported interactions between flora, fauna and human life.

In this project I explored the definition of weeds and the socially constructed boundaries we have introduced to exclude such plants from our built environments.

This project proposed a research and education facility to investigate the properties of these overlooked plants and raise awareness of their huge ecological and potential social benefits, de-stigmatising their existence within our urban realms.

DAVID GISSEN ‘Subnature’

Part III: Life, Weeds

“Weeds are the hardest to define, because botanists cannot agree on what exactly differentiates a weed from other non weed species. The only constant between weeds and other plants is their socially determined undesirability.”

I studied in detail the conditions in which the individual plant growth was occurring, what microscopic adaptations these plants had that assisted in their growth and survival and looked to replicate these ideal planting and growth conditions through larger scale building fascades, roofs and landscape design.

3. A detailed log of plants found in varying locations across the site

4. A study of the soil from each sample location across site with the external conditions also included

2. Under

5.

6.

HOW DO SEEDS SPREAD

7. Understanding ways in which seeds are naturally dispersed for natural planting and enhanced biodiversity

BUILDINGS

POSITIONED TO CREATE IDEAL CONDITIONS THROUGH LIGHT, SHADE AND WATER

8. Using the positioning of the buildings on site to maximise efficiency for growth v of the individual plants

CONCEPTUALISING MODELLING AND TESTING FASCADES DESIGNED FOR ENCOURAGED ECOLOGICAL GROWTH AND INTERACTIONS