NARRATIVE
„Departing from an extensive historical reading of the power relation between man and sea, the architectural proposal delineates an experimental path from past to present, carving the hilly landscape of Shetland Islands/ St Ninian Island to connect a traditional way of using water (harbour) with a proposed advanced one (tidal power plant). Given the poetic and metaphorical nature of the project, the architectural interventions act as one line of experience where site deconstruction, analysis and design are guided by the tension, knowledge and historical meaning of the natural power of the sea.„
Description of the project by Taneha K. Bacchin
The story about the relationship between human and water has been always linked with the fear of the hidden, natural power of nature. By identifying the historical position of the North Sea, it is confirmed that the sea has been perceived as “the edge of the world” in its past. The Sea and its cold northern waters was seen as an evil in itself, as a physical and a mental border, difficult to pass and coexist with. Looking at the present conditions, we (man) are being confronted with powerful nature again.
In the past, the North Sea was difficult to navigate. Today, we are facing the issue of forecasting sea level rise and unpredictable weather. This shows the phenomenon of nature’s power is once again taking control over human. The subject of the project is focused on the strategy of overcoming this fear but once again harnessing it power as an opportunity for humans. In the past, people faced the challenge of passing the fearful water by improving sailing boats, discovering navigation techniques and studying its natural movements, currents and tides. This process helped us to familiarise ourselves with the initially unknown and to learn how to coexist with nature.
„Departing from an extensive historical reading of the power relation between man and sea, the architectural proposal delineates an experimental path from past to present, carving the hilly landscape of Shetland Islands/ St Ninian Island to connect a traditional way of using water (harbour) with a proposed advanced one (tidal power plant). Given the poetic and metaphorical nature of the project, the architectural interventions act as one line of experience where site deconstruction, analysis and design are guided by the tension, knowledge and historical meaning of the natural power of the sea.„
Description of the project by Taneha K. Bacchin
The story about the relationship between human and water has been always linked with the fear of the hidden, natural power of nature. By identifying the historical position of the North Sea, it is confirmed that the sea has been perceived as “the edge of the world” in its past. The Sea and its cold northern waters was seen as an evil in itself, as a physical and a mental border, difficult to pass and coexist with. Looking at the present conditions, we (man) are being confronted with powerful nature again.
In the past, the North Sea was difficult to navigate. Today, we are facing the issue of forecasting sea level rise and unpredictable weather. This shows the phenomenon of nature’s power is once again taking control over human. The subject of the project is focused on the strategy of overcoming this fear but once again harnessing it power as an opportunity for humans. In the past, people faced the challenge of passing the fearful water by improving sailing boats, discovering navigation techniques and studying its natural movements, currents and tides. This process helped us to familiarise ourselves with the initially unknown and to learn how to coexist with nature.
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Today, we are confronted with the increasing power of water, which we have fortified ourselves against by building high advanced dams, walls and floodgates. We are using physical, monstrous engineering interventions to protect ourselves from water rather than embracing its power – like we did in the past. The design in itself aims to tackle the current issue of water level rise in a more traditional way, to open up to nature, to understand its behaviour and draw on our experience and knowledge. The project has been set on the Shetland Islands, to metaphorically connect the story of the project with the first settlers of the Isles first settlements of the Vikings. Historically they embraced the fear of the waters mystical power and sailed through the unknown sea. As a link to the present, the geographical location of the Shetlands’ dictates that their coastal line will be one of the first to be impacted by the rising sea.
THE STORY
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It was important to develop a cohesive narrative in the design, to bridge the past and present perception of water’s power with the site. This specifically related to the introduction of using renewable water energy as the main component of the project. By analysing local issues of the Isles’ residents and researching current knowledge of using water’s power, the site issues with the advanced technologies were combined into one coherent solution. By following this, it has been considered how far I can use the aforementioned natural power to not to damage the rough beauty of the site as well as the rough beauty of the natural power of water. This led to the introduction of the three architectural elements of my design– the harbour, the tidal power plant and the experiential path which links these two - the traditional way of using water (the harbour) with the advanced one (tidal power plant).
Given the poetical nature of my project, the three interventions act as one line of experience, the deconstruction and analysis of building the tension and reflection of the story around the natural power of water, was an important procedure of translating the narrative into an invented design. |
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
Within the context of the circular economy, clean energy production and new development logic, the major instability is driven by climate change which is one of the main subjects of the global discussion. As seawater levels rise, coastal cities, in particular, will have an increasing obligation to develop strategies to deal with coexistence with water. From active strategies of protection to more passive strategies that allow for controlled flooding, there are many other opportunities for a man to use the power of water in case of transport, dwelling or energy production. To possibly best address, the issues posed by climate change, water management, urbanism, architecture etc. come all together to create a complete approach in constructing solutions.
In this thesis, multiple aspects of designing with water to enhance urban living are employed to create a unique environment where man’s safe environment stretches into the waterscape. By examining potential strategies of operating with the seascape, this project provides theoretical, alternative schemes and architectural approaches for solidification of human coexistence with water, particularly in the northern part of the North Sea territory. The dynamic nature of the North Sea landscape challenges conventional design and answers by the definition of human development reaching into the future. Furthermore, building in the neighbourhood of the seascape provides a number of logistical and technical solutions; while developing the approach of the feasibility of using water as a location for potential urban development globally.
In this thesis, multiple aspects of designing with water to enhance urban living are employed to create a unique environment where man’s safe environment stretches into the waterscape. By examining potential strategies of operating with the seascape, this project provides theoretical, alternative schemes and architectural approaches for solidification of human coexistence with water, particularly in the northern part of the North Sea territory. The dynamic nature of the North Sea landscape challenges conventional design and answers by the definition of human development reaching into the future. Furthermore, building in the neighbourhood of the seascape provides a number of logistical and technical solutions; while developing the approach of the feasibility of using water as a location for potential urban development globally.
PHYSICAL MODELS
© 2019 — Aleksandra Gwardiak
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