Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma Architecture"
The diploma project presents an installation on the water, an experimental educational object that reflects the tenets of zero waste both ideologically and practically. The main task of the lump and its function is to educate the environment and take up the structural and material challenge in underwater and above-water conditions.
level 0 projection
© Katarzyna Kosch
The topics of climate change and environmental pollution are included in the project. It also emphasized the value of public spaces and the role of society in issues of ecology, the fight against global warming and consumerism. The purpose of the manifesto discussed in the thesis is, among other things, to unite and mobilize architects in an effort to advance the tenets of the zero waste movement and to adopt innovative solutions as mandatory methods in the fight against waste and ill-considered investments pouring in from everywhere.
visualization
© Katarzyna Kosch
The basic architectural idea was to create a 3D printed solid - a sculpture of nature - which in its form will refer to biomorphism, and the construction will avoid unnecessary interference with the environment. The facility is as much as 80 percent submerged in water, so the priority was to use materials that would not negatively affect the reservoir and the animals living in it. The oval shape, thanks to its physical specificity - acting on compression - made it possible to place such a large volume under water, meeting all functional assumptions. The object above the surface of the water is shaped like a wave or an overgrown plant, creating a canopy for a modern social space acting as a free social square or market.
B-B cross-section
© Katarzyna Kosch
A glass photovoltaic system has been incorporated into the roof structure, performing both lighting, ventilation and energy functions - it generates electricity. The interior of the building resembles a hollowed-out anthill chamber or a cave, where semitransparent mobile walls can be added to meet the needs of a given event, or to create a free open space, without unnecessary partitions. The environmentally friendly block does not interfere with the bottom of the lagoon or come into contact with it, and thanks to the fact that it is made of transparent material - it allows you to explore the panorama of the water body.
visualization
© Katarzyna Kosch
The main properties of 3D printing are water resistance, very high strength, resistance to cracking and the possibility of precise structural calculation of any designed shape. Chambers, or spaces, have been carved into the ceiling, which both reduce the weight of the solid, creating space for additional installations, and allow hydrogen to enter them, keeping the object at the right height, counteracting flooding.
situation, site plan and detail
© Katarzyna Kosch
A manifesto is an ideological statement, which in this case was expressed through an open public space, extended by seemingly experimental features, emphasizing local entrepreneurs, farmers and natural landscapes, and consequently engaging the participant for a longer period of time. Moreover, by providing access to the underwater world, the space educates the observer. The designed plazas and spaces are designed for any initiatives that promote ecological values. The consumer encounters exclusion with products that are sincere, local and in line with sustainability. Surrounded by a green landscape and a reservoir, through its natural attractiveness and recreational potential, it attracts users to enjoy the benefits of Rybnik Lagoon and the jointly created, ecological market. By emphasizing the value of green public places, people identify with their place of residence and the purpose of the manifesto.
Katarzyna KOSCH
Illustrations: © Author
