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Following the previous post, this is an image of a first attempt towards a building design. Currently more of a skeleton of the building and hinting at it’s function, I’m aiming at a more ephemeral feel, as this stage and life of the building is fragile and deteriorating.

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On monday we had our end of term (first term) portfolio submission. About 3 days before the submission I made a slight change as to how I was going to approach my project..

My first intention for my ‘Urban Aquatic Synergy’, was to propose a more holistic system, a symbiotic relationship between communities and nature – the focus of this relationship being on the long term, ensuring future generations have the opportunity to satisfy their needs and respect Nature’s capacity to regenerate itself. A place in which man-made systems don’t encroach on more surface than absolutely required, no systematic exploiting of resources, no destruction of ecosystems.

It is a big interest of mine trying to solve problems and researching methods in order to develop a more closed loop and sustainable system.  However, my tutors questioned what the best way to raise awareness is – as this is my main ambition.

So what I ended up proposing, was a response to the following questions:

We rarely know where our food, clothes, water and energy come from, or what  conditions prevail in the systems and chains that provide us with our daily needs. What if we knew where our commodities come from? What if we couldn’t avoid knowing because it would be right in front of us? Would we change our attitude and do something about it? Would we try to improve the terrible circumstances people work in or would we ignore them?

I proposed a dying system, with the precedents being those places I’ve researched and found happening around the world: Places where ecosystems are being depleted, workers are being abused, water is being polluted and our food is highly poisoned. This place would provide the city with a fragment of it’s seafood and the city would know where it came from.

Instead of displaying images and information, as done in exhibitions, books or the internet, this site in the city would host all of the above problems and wait for a social reaction. But I can’t stop there, and as the project is speculative, I’m also proposing a time-line of how with social input, voices heard and action taken, the place gradually changes.

For the submission I presented the image above, which;

On the left – shows an Urban, Vertical Fish farm in it’s worst condition, which, in our day and age, represents reality

On the right – an Urban, Vertical Fish farm in its best condition – which could be possible if we chose to work with the various ecosystems and systematically improve and correct each decadent circumstance

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Inspired by the book Data Flow II, these two pages illustrate some of my research on Capture Fishery, Aquaculture and Migrant Workers in China.

 

 

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When I see videos like this by Greenpeace ‘Drop into the Ocean’, which for me is the equivalent of a horror story, I feel very guilty for taking the fish and seafood I occasionally have the pleasure to enjoy for granted..and I must say, as much as I highly admire and respect Greenpeace, they are experts for making you feel like this. And to be honest, it is well deserved!

The video however does have a nice twist of hope in the end, which is quite reassuring. Although we have turned the fishing industry into the practical extinction of fish and a devastating monster of destruction of ecosystems in our Oceans, we can still turn things around, we just all have to fight for it together.

I really like the raw truth of this video, the images of how in the pacific ocean sharks get thrown back into the water with their fins cut off, left to die. How for every kg of captured shrimp, 5kg of marine life is wasted  - this deceased by-catch then thrown back into the ocean. Amongst many other devastating examples, these images really emphasise how crucial it is that we act on the problem and do our best to resolve it.

Aquaculture was a solution as such, but it has only made the problem worse. Unsustainable Aquaculture exploits the natural coastal resources and rivers, by polluting the waters with all the chemicals fed to the cultivated marine life and once these places aren’t useful anymore, leaving them devastated without a hope to recover. The worst of all being Shrimp farming in Mangrove coastal forests.

On the bright side:

There are ventures like Aquaponics UK doing Farm:Shop in Dalston, London, which give you a strong idea of how much potential there is for a solution to this problem, that of Sustainable Urban Fish farming. Another very interesting reference I have found recently is Professor Martin Schreibman at Brooklyn College, New York, who has developed an Aquaponics system in the city. You can see a video describing the department Professor Schreibman runs below.

We really need to give the Oceans and Seas a break to recover, and maybe sustainably integrating marine life into our urban environment can be a way to replenish the ecosystems we have depleted.

I am a fond believer of the ‘Cradle to Cradle’ ideal that we don’t need to give up on our comforts, we just need to ensure that the way this comfort is produced and becomes available to us is done in the best way possible, without destroying our environment and without being cruel to the species living with us on our planet.

 

Greenpeace ‘Drop into the Ocean’:

 

Professor Martin Schreibman proving how Sustainable Urban Aquaculture is a viable solution:

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May 2012 bring you all you want and more!!

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I went to South East China, on a field trip with my MArch degree Unit, in November, with little previous research on the country related to politics, history, social circumstances, environmental conditions, amongst others. I was quite happy that I could enjoy the culture and sceneries of the places we visited with very few preconceptions and learn through experiences and talking to the many people we met. Since we came back, I have spent a lot of time looking into these phenomena, and how, more specifically, they converge in the city of Guangzhou.

I was advised to read a book called ‘The Fat Years’ by Chan Koonchung, before I went to China, as it was related to the themes I was addressing in my previous proposal in Chinatown. I picked it up after coming back from China and I must say it is very enlightening and informative. This, which many call a science-fiction novel, is based on reality and accounts true events of the past, but projects a very bold account of the future with shocking outcomes (for some outrageous even). The plot surrounds a ‘fictional reality’ that after the world has gone into complete economic crisis, China is in it’s ‘Golden Age of Ascendancy’ and the population is generally very happy. Those few who are not affected by this unusual constant happiness, question why these people are always content, do not want to talk or think about anything negative and cannot remember the month in between which the world went into crisis and China claimed the beginning of it’s age of prosperity.

More interesting even, than how the plot evolves, are the constant insights into historical events of Communist China and the various social realities it portrays, from powerful politicians to abandoned children abducted and abused by industries for illegal work.

The final note, by the translator, will also reveal how close to reality the story is. As a side note, ‘The Fat Years’ is a very compelling read and also easy to follow, due to the account of the relationships between the characters, which I feel is written in a way that anyone can relate to. You will be touched and it definitely raises a lot of awareness!

Enjoy!!

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