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T H E E D G E
Belerus
Ukraine
Boarder Line Perimeter
Key - Site Location (Solid White Line)
Nuclear Power Station
Key Words - Ecological Protection, Social and Economic Activation
Issue - Human activity endangers the recovery and growing biodiversity of the site.
Image - The Zone is attracting legal and illegal activity, such as tourism, film makers, video game fans, forestry, poaching and looting.
TIMESPAN - 'Permanent'
SITE'S RADIATION LEVEL - Varies
SCALAR EFFECT - The Exclusion Zone
ISSUE
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Social and economic pressures are increasing due to humans’ impatience. The ‘no-man’s land’ has become a ‘destination,’ attracting tourists, scientists, film makers and illegal entry from video game fans, poachers, looters and timber fellers. This new found human activity is threatening the recovery and progress of the Ecology; as well as current government talks to decrease the size of the Exclusion Zone, reflecting the declining radiation. Paradoxically, the new found biodiversity is simultaneously being destroyed and protected by the site's toxicity.
PROTECTION
The primary function of 'The Edge' is to act as a defensive 'wall'; retaining human activity from encroaching on the zone, to protect the recovery and non-anthropocentric values (Biodiversity richness) of the site.
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VARYING CONTEXTS
The Edge responds to a series of contexts; forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, urban settlements and the checkpoints. The design intends to establish a permanence for the boundary through materiality, engineering and altering topography, for example in more remote areas Ha-Ha's walls continue the physical line but create an appearance of a continuous landscape.
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STIMULATING ACTIVITY
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The Edge offers social and economic opportunities due to it’s low land prices, proximIty to Kiev and Minsk and its connection with existing settlements and road networks. Encouraging human activity can be utilised as a strategy to establish a longevity for the Edge, as seen in examples such as Wall Street, New York where the original city wall becomes embedded into the urban fabric and society.
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DESIGN
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The core structure of the wall is based on architectural principles of longevity. Repeating arches made from limestone act purely in compression and have the capacity to last hundreds of years, such as the Roman Aquaducts. Fixings on the core structure allow the wall to be adapted for todays and future uses.
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ENERGY STORAGE
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Batteries are fixed to the wall and connected to new energy harvesting systems within the site, which will be further explained in this presentation.
The batteries and power supply, begin to create the foundations for the infrastructure needed for businesses.
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INTERACTING WITH THE WALL
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Placing the batteries on top of the wall provides protection from water, as well as creating a divide between the public space on the ground and management required for the power supply and batteries.
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The move allows for the ground plane to become activated in various ways. The wall becomes effectively a foundation which can be built from, fixings allow the wall to be adapting, becoming part of a shelter, street, living wall, viewing point as well as apart of enclosed spaces; making up one side of the buildings fabric.
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LONG TERM ADVANTAGES
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The Edge establishes a protection mechanism for the ecology whilst stimulating new business through providing the infrastructure they need.
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CASE STUDIES
The Ha-Ha Wall
Natural Boarders - Pryp'yat River, Chernobyl
'Soft Boarders'
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Prison Architecture - HMP Belmarsh
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The Moat
The Berlin Wall
Fort of Graca, Elvas, Portugal
The Murals of Chernobyl
Infrastructure
Utility Energy Storage Solution, Tesla
Architectural Datums
Embedded into the Urban Fabric and Economy
Wall Street New York
Activating the Boarder
Fortification
Control
Stop City by Pier Vittorio Aureli
Architectural Datums - Aquaducts
How can large scale infrastructure can become engaging in an urban context? (Such as trainlines)
The structure can be activated by making use of the nature voids.
MAPPING BOARDER CONDITIONS
EMBEDDING THE BOUNDARY INTO SOCIETY
The Edge offers social and economic opportunities due to it’s low land prices, proximIty to Kiev and Minsk and its connection with existing settlements and road networks. Encouraging human activity can be utilised as a strategy to establish a longevity for the Edge, as seen in examples such as Wall Street, New York where the original city wall becomes embedded into the urban fabric and society.
SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH THE EDGE
Posters/Art​
Courtyard
Covered Storage Space
Speculative Industrial Estate Development along the Border
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FURTHER DETAILED DESIGN OF SECTIONS OF THE EDGE
The following images show details of the Section, Elevation and Plan (displaced in the order stated)
Core Structure is a repetitive limestone arch based on the engineering principles of the Aquaducts, which have lasted for hundreds of years.
Batteries are stacked on top of the structure to provide protection from the elements and create a divide between the public and private spaces.
Glazed Fitting create view through to the Exclusion Zone.
Solid fills create a 'blank canvas' to 'decorate' with murals, posters, advertisement etc.
The Edge creates one side of a semi-enclosed street
Benches can be integrated in the void space and create a space for people to sit under shelter.
Wire's attach to the fixings and climbing plants can start to create a living wall.
Adding further walls creates smaller private courtyards with The Edge
Buildings can absorb The Edge, utilising it for one side of the building's fabric.. The voids are used to bring light into the space and generate views.
The Top surface can be used for function other than batteries, for examples tree top pathways.
Design Development
The following images show the design development of the Edge.
The Checkpoint
The design of 'The Edge' is at it's most brutal at the checkpoints, taking influence from other military guarded checkpoints. The Architecture reflects the severity of the toxic landscape beyond the boarders.
The End of the Road
The number of entrance points to the site are minimised.
The Living Wall.... with encourage economic activity
The Energy Storage
The Edge provides commercial scale energy storage systems, to create a reliable renewable energy source for the businesses. Providing the correct infrastructure for commercial use, including wifi will stimulate use of the area.
The Settlement
The boarder offers cheap land which could be used as an opportunity to stimulate new businesses. Power is supplied to the settlements along the boarder by the renewable energy resources inside the zone. The new found activity will help establish a longevity for the boarders existence.
The Edge encouraging business's to activate the boarder rather than living accommodation due to the temporality of inhabitants. (workers) If a wildfire were to occur inside the zone, the workers would have the opportunity to stay away until the danger has passed. This would be more difficult if it was your home.
The Edge has been adapted to become a 'living wall' this is to create a more pleasant environment for the inhabitants.
The Moat
In areas further away from human activity, the height of the physical boarder has been reduced and a marshy, wetland surrounds the structure to provide further security.
The Ha-Ha's
In areas furtherest away from human activity, the physical boarders appears invisible, from a distance, but when approached it becomes apparent a Ha-Ha has been installed to mark the boarder line.
a ha-ha wall, which will maintain visual connectivity and makes tunnel under the boarder more difficult