Industrial Architecture is not only building itself as a piece of art. It is a deep thought how to make a functional and effective envelope for the production chain.
Credit
Architect: Sylwia Pawlowska.
Project Name: RE-FA. Factory Recycling PET Bottles (Polibrick).
Year: 2015.
Field: Technical University of Lodz.
Environment: Lodz, Poland.
Rainwater is partly collected by the collectors mounted at the roof pockets. It is used for watering the winter garden, cooling machinery at the 1st stage and providing water for sanitary cores at the 2nd stage of usage.
Evenly arranged window openings facing north provide the right amount of light and do not lead to overheating. The industrial hall is ventilated naturally through the windows' micro ventilation (N-S). The western wall is reinforced due to the transfer of larger wind loads.
The energy that must be supplied is obtained partly from photovoltaic panels arranged on the roof. The selection of the angle of the structure was based on the efficiency of panels arranged at an equal angle to the horizontal, considering the gradient range between 30-60 degrees and 40-60 degrees. Due to higher efficiency of panels 40-60, less self-shading, lower high of elements and less material used - this range was chosen for further analysis, even if more panels were able to fit a range of 30-60 degrees they were less effective in total calculation and more expensive. The diagram below shows decreased tolerance to 40-60 and PV Panels position. Providing homogeneous daylight to the production hall is one of the most important conditions necessary to ensure the comfort of its users.
ARCHITECTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Building as a Black Diamond gently unfolds from the ground. Self-bearing mesh of the structure gives an impression of the natural stone planes.
W-E elevation is constructed as a polycarbonate facade covered by triangulated sheets made of recycled perforated metal. The rising Western elevation of the building is the entrance zone for the representative hall and factory. It combines clean-work zones with the vestibule leading to the production hall. Thus its form and building are visible from the viaduct in the direction of the city center to the Lodz Economic Zone. Lightweight structure and modularity allow for providing the same system to future subsidiaries of RE-FA and give the flexibility to adapt it for particular parcels. The lifecycle of the structure is provided for 50 years. Materials used for the building are mostly recycled - from Polibrick interior walls to permeable asphalt from recycled car tires.
REFA is a buffer from the residential zone to the industrial zone. That means it had to be low-emissive and the architecture had to be environmentally friendly.
The parcel where it stands is oriented W-E on the long border. That means the bearing structure frame had to be positioned on the N-S axis which did not allow for using an optimal northern shed roof to provide homogenous daylight to the production hall. Bearing beams in typical construction would divide sheds positioned to the northern light and this window configuration would weaken the construction. Therefore, the implemented solution is based on flexible origami triangulated mesh called “Miura-Ori”.
RE-FA. Factory Recycling PET Bottles (Polibrick).
Architectural Concept, Master Thesis Lodz University of Technology.
United Nations Population Information Network (UNPI) estimated that in 2030 approximately 60% of the population will live in cities. This presents enormous needs for small urban spaces as far as the raw materials that come from vast natural areas. Is it possible that a huge city can become neutral in terms of greenhouse gas emission and pollution while at the same time becoming a „One-Planet-Principle“ sustainable city.
Such questions may seem naive now. However, by realizing the direction in which we are heading what limits us and what we want to achieve - perhaps we can realize it. A hundred years ago, no one would have expected what is to become our reality now.
LOCATION AND FUNCTION
RE-FA is a conceptual project for a sustainable factory in Lodz, Poland. I started my research with an analysis of the global problems that might be treated locally. Inspired by Greg Segall's photo exhibition, I specified my case of study as „garbage“.
Apparently, in Poland, only 20% of waste is recycled. The remaining garbage is stored. The building sector is using 50% of natural sources taken from the environment, this is why we need to focus on obtaining more sources from recycled materials instead of continuously grabbing more non-renewable goods from nature.
Lodz is a characteristic post-industrial city located in central Poland. Its problems are based on urban sprawl, expansion of the Economic District Zone to the borders of the city, and increasing areas with landfills.
RE FA is located in the city center, at the border of the residential area and economic zone. A good transportation system allows for direct transport of waste from Lodz Voivodship while avoiding conflicts with daily transit in the city. The factory produces Polibrick which is a component for the lightweight sandwich panels dedicated to logistic centers, industrial objects, and temporary structures.
To gain knowledge about the technological production chain, I visited local plastic factories and discussed implemented technology with engineers from the Machine Technology and Artificial Materials Department working at the Lodz University of Technology. As a source, delivered to the factory, I decided to use PET flakes obtained from recycled bottles. I had to calculate the total amount of material circulation (weight and volume), from flakes to preforms bowled and finished with the PoliBrick component. After calculations, I had to place special machinery in accordance with the area of the parcel. I had to estimate how much REFA might produce depending on the available area, and optimize the amount of delivered material to the production rate and human sources. Offices and laboratories are situated on the upper levels of the factory having the access to the winter garden which is a green buffer of RE-FA.
RE-FA
OCTA TOWERS - CITY GATE
HYPERLOOP DESERT CAMPUS
SHANGHAI TOWER.
Architectural Concept.
The Shanghai Tower is a high-rise building, a 45-story height multipurpose tower flanking the Metropolitan Hardscape of Shanghai.
Credits
Design Team: M87LAB, Sylwia Pawlowska.
Project Name: Shanghai Tower.
Year: 2021.
Field: Architectural Concept Visualization.
Environment: Shanghai, China.
MARS FUTURE COLONY
OCTA TOWERS - CITY GATE.
Architectural Concept.
OCTA TOWERS - CITY GATE 2020. The architectural concept of two multifunctional self-contained community towers flanking the entrance to the Bay. Octa O1 + Octa O2 are re-interpretation of "Non-Plus Ultra" having the inspiration from the Greek mythological Two Pillars of Herakles. The curiosity of the Unknow is an invitation to Discoveries, in this case, the discovery of a new city approach. We need to question the concept of the future cities and communities, undertaking new directions for livable households in hostile habitats. Immersive spaces, modular and flexible architecture, adaptive for the current needs of its users, low spatial impact and nature preservation are our major focus. Current networking and cyberspaces allow us to live in different places and collaborate between communities without physical presence.
This trend to work "in-remote" keeps us in the surrounding we have chosen and not life pushed us into.
Credits
Design Team: M87LAB, Sylwia Pawlowska, Matteo Mazzero.
Project Name: Octa Towers - City Gate.
Year: 2020.
Client: Private.
Field: Architectural Concept.
Environment: Philippines.
HYPERLOOP DESER CAMPUS.
Architectural Concept for YAC (Young Architects Competition).
LIVING ON OUR SPACESHIP EARTH IS A CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT. MOVEMENT OF MATERIA, MOMENT OF DATA. PROGRESS. HAVING JUST A MOMENT OF TIME - ARCHITECTS SHOULD STOP DESIGNING JUST ART SCULPTURES, DEATH SPACES, AND C02 EMISSIVE MONUMENTS OF MONEY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CREATE A SELF-SUFFICIENT ARCHI-ORGANISM FOR BOTH WORKING AND LIVING IN THE DESERT OF NEVADA.
OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE HYPERLOOP DESERT CAMPUS IS A VEHICLE FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORKING AND LIVING ENVIRONMENT - AN INCUBATOR OF INNOVATION.
HDC (Hyperloop Desert Campus) has been designed to create a semi-independent natural microenvironment offering low wind resistance and optimizing its thermal isolation with a view to offering a comfortable space where to live together, learn, experiment and dream.
The layout of HDC follows a three-story elliptical shape.
The three units have been designed and re-combined to always offer access to a semi-outdoor garden area. The main entrance to the campus is centrally located on its longest vertical facing North/West. The extension of the roof creates a welcoming shaded area before “boarding”. Once we cross its “portal” we find ourselves in the foyer.
From the foyer, in front of us, we have direct access to the Arena, set between the ground and the sky, crowned by a semicovered garden to which you have free access from the four cardinal points.
As well also The Museum tour area develops around the semi-garden, touching the two most extreme tips of the campus crossing the experimental laboratories and interactive labs.
Always from the foyer with its control reception we have the possibilities to move towards longer the left-wing and/or the right-wing. On the left wing, we have immediately the dining area, bar and a restaurant with a desert view. Proceeding along the left wing we have the first units of apartments divided into two floors.
Towards the end of the left-wing, we find as well offices and the main laboratory with his 100m testing tunnel.
On the right wing, we have direct access to the second units of apartments on two floors. Keep proceeding on the right-wing we find as well offices and other laboratories. On the tip of the wing, we arrived at his indoor swimming pool and gym with a desert view.
Credits
Design Team: M87LAB, Sylwia Pawlowska, Matteo Mazzero.
Project Name: HYPERLOOP DESERT CAMPUS.
Year: 2020.
Field: YAC - Young Architects Competitions.
Environment: Nevada Desert, Arizona TX, USA.
PORTFOLIO
2023. All rights reserved to M87LAB. Architectural Design & Industrial Design Consulting.
MARS FUTURE COLONY.
Space Architecture Concept.
Thinking about Mars Colony we should keep in mind mostly what is available on its surface and what we need for living that can not be found there. During colonization, we suggested distances between components and symmetries, that allow further expansions in each direction, reasonable due to material savings for each phase of expansion.
3D printing thick shell constructions can protect shelters from high radiation at the beginning of colonization when all the resources are highly limited.
Self-inflating tents provide seamless structures easy to assemble and start the habitat under 3D printed shields. Presented Camp is foreseen long after the first human landing. Thus on Mars, we have mostly Silicon, Iron and Magnesium, we would need to prepare for assembling structures from it.
Additionally on the Martian Surface scientists found Aluminum, Titanium, Chromium, Copper, Zinc, Nickel, Cobalt and others. Due to the fact that the rocky planet contains around 0.5% of chlorine, the Martian surface is toxic for mankind and Camp should protect humans from radiation. While we are still looking for advanced manufacturing technologies to prevent overdose of radiation exposure, design should still oscillate around pragmatic repetitive components that will allow quick expansion. We suggested well-known domes made of platonic triangular components. By reusing necessary construction materials from Mars's surface additional heat and oxygen can be generated and collected. The main oxygen generator will be supplied from vegetable farming, an exchanger of C02 from the Martian atmosphere and heat pumps. The preferred location of it should allow effective independent distribution of oxygen to the living units, laboratories, farming zones and rockets/spaceships transportation units.
A special robot will mine water, ice and fuel from planetary soil. The first human expedition on Mars would need to bring also Water Extractor to heat soil till water evaporates. Condensate water will be stored. In our spatial design, such robots are placed at a distance from the living zone due to soil shakes. Nevertheless,
we would like to use this heat additionally for the farming zones which are between Living Zone and Water Extraction Zone.
Credits
Design Team: M87LAB, Sylwia Pawlowska, Matteo Mazzero.
Project Name: Mars Future Colony.
Year: 2021.
Field: Concept Design Visualization.
Environment: Planet Mars.
SHANGHAI TOWER
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