H. Axis-Ability Bovisa
- Workshop: EU 3rd Wicked Workshop for Sustainability
- 2017: Milan
- Supervisor: Dr. ir. Susanne Komossa
Scenario
The European Association for Architectural Education organised a workshop with three universities to evaluate the standard of teaching for sustainable practise at universities across Europe. Group work with students coming from different cultural backgrounds gave me an opportunity to learn to make a design proposal in a short time. The intensive week led to creating strong friendships with peers and fast production of results.
Task
Envision a new urban and architectural design with a strategy to decontaminate the ground of the old and vacant industrial area on the perimeter of the city of Milan.
Concept
Increase the site accessibility to the prominent train axis. Herby, connecting the Bovisa to the centre of Milan and other prominent cultural landmarks along this is axis.
Strategy
1.Transform train station and train track pass-overs to connect the site better with surrounding (connect Bovisa with city centre of Milan and city of Varese). 2 Decontaminate the chemical waste polluted soil by using a combination of biological treatment zones and mechanical treatment zones. 3. Increase activity in Bovisa by adding to the program on the site: create market square, expand current university department buildings, student and family residential buildings of 4 to 6 stories, open air museum and new forest with recreational activities.
Critical ideas I contributed
Due to a elective course at TU Delft: Past, Present, Future of Sustainability, I was aware of a viewpoint to see sustainability in six different types of nature. The types range from on the one side of the scale, untouched nature (national reservation parks) through to the other side where we have productive human nature (oil extraction). To be able to decontaminate the polluted soil, the team chose to impliment this knowledge by seperating the site into three zones. Zone one for untouched nature where no humans will have access to the ground floor. Zone two for recreational use where the soil is treated by mechanically washing the soil and then allowing for sport facilities and city parks. Zone three was for productive nature where biological processes of specific plants will be planted in the contaminated ground and over time it will be ecologically cleaned. Maybe the production of plants could at a later stage be haverested for economic benefits. This reflection on types of nature allowed us to question our viewpoints on sustainability. I believe I was able to impliment an thought shift in my teams mates minds about sustainability.