Voids as activators
a waste material system.
Year : 2021
Project : Masters Thesis Project
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The project is an investigation of voids - i.e., forgotten, wasted or dead spaces - within the industrial estate of Kordin.
This first part of the thesis project was developed by myself and my colleague Maria, where our project stemmed from an exploration into the current toxic cycle of production, consumption and waste.
The main thesis question was raised: how can territories of void be perceived as territories of potential? By seeking to understand values and typologies of voids, these can be exploited as a waster resource. Thus, a new loop can be created from the current linear process of the island, towards a self-sufficient and resilient system.
The intent is to activate the voids and trigger a self-sufficient system for rethinking waste. Voids are considered as territories of potential, where they work as a system of activators towards a more resilient community.
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The current territories of production and consumption are mapped in the south of Malta. The territories of voids are mapped as well, including industrial remains, residential remains, those associated with trade, forgotten or abandoned fortifications and historic areas, places used byt not to their full potential; voids as presenting material resources; and social voids or places with significant social potential.
Clusters are marked, identified as the seeds of a resilient system to evolve. Corradino hill was chosen as a main area of focus, since there is a very high density of voids and industry, and lack of social value, which becomes an interesting challenge to tackle.
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The voids in Corradino Hill, or Kordin, are scattered as a layer of historic fragments. In the early 20th century, Corradino Hill was still sparsely built, and the Corradino Fortification Lines were intact, leading towards Ras il-Hanzir, where there is the polverista.
A Nissen hutment area is present, as well as a Military prison [originally Naval prison built in 1866] and the civic prison [1842] and the technical institute. Until the early 20th century, three prehistoric temples were marked on the town plans, of which solely one remains today due to further build-up of the area.
The mid-20th century saw the construction of the underground power station, which is identified through the marking of vents
From the historical perspective, the area was gradually transformed into an industrial zone from a recreational and service zone of the British. Kordin can be considered as one whole void, with the constant feeling of something negative,
originating from the connotation with the prisons, with the abandonment of many places and generation of newer ones despite this, making the industrial area anonymous and more toxic.
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In exploring the site and its users, the main area is an industrial area, with industries ranging from electronics, material manufacturing, automation and food.
A layer of historic fragments is present. There is also a recreational layer from the British period, with sports grounds and pitches. A further educational layer involves educational institutes, such as MCAST, in the periphery, which is completely isolated.
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The current situation of Kordin consists of juxtaposed uses and space typologies. This results in a sense of disorganisation, creating fragmented areas which make it difficult to make sense of the space, resulting in a chaotic industrial city.
However, when the voids are mapped out, a sense of an underlying system can be identified amongst the city’s chaotic nature, meaning that if the voids are designed, they can become the externalised nodes that loop and create a resilient system amongst the chaotic islands of the industrial city.
This would give Kordin a sense of legibility, with the voids providing porous spatiality to the community while enhancing the existing uses: education, sport, food and material industries.
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The vision for Kordin therefore involves looking at voids as a system of activators paving the way for self-sufficient and resilient systems exploiting current industries and uses in the industrial city.
This is done in phases: exploiting green islands and transforming them into toxin-absorbing greenery; connection of green islands by green corridors; reestablishing disused rainwater reservoirs;
introducing an elevated conveyor belt system for an alternate transportation system which reducing vehicular traffic and thus allowing a pedestrian flow and further connections.
Briefly, the project evolved into focusing on two main industries identified within Kordin; that of food (by Maria) and the material industries (by myself). Hence the masterplan highlights the general approach of potential systems for both industries inspired by the notion of waste being potential, waste as a resource.
Every intervention to sustain such a system is linked to a void, which are in turn seen as territories of waste or potential.
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The activators are based on a hybrid of a science and research park involving waste material, originating from the users of the site and the opportunities in their collaboration –
the workers (industrial core), the students (MCAST) and the visitors (sports and leisure facilities in Kordin). Thus, there is the opportunity to rethink waste materials that the industries are producing and reintroduce them within the cycle.
Generally, science and research parks involve a dedicated sector of a unicersity, research centres for prototype creation and experimentation, and incubator centres.
These are based on the pillars of invention, innovation and diffusion.
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The area of focus involves dilapidated historic fragments: (a) a fragment of the 19th century Corradino Fortification Line and (b) the vents of the 20th century underground power station. The chosen sites have strong spatial qualities and are located at the periphery of Corradino Hill. At present, there is limited activity, making the whole area a void.
Cultural and historic values are present. The fragment of the Corradino Line is significant in terms of its importance of their development as the last lines of defence.
They were constructed to protect Valletta and the Harbour, built with the royal Navy prison as a system of control at the traverse in a commanding position over the Corradino Heights. Up north, the abandoned underground power station is an example of industrial architecture housing six unique diesel engines. The vents above ground are significant as they form part of the whole.
Although the use of the site is redundant as a power station, the void of the vents has also value in the experience it offers: a surreal experience through its volume, scale, heights and intrigue.
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Voids, as waste, are an untapped resource. Waste material from the site can be used to build a system for readaptation of waste material itself. The junk yard offers scrap metal and possible structural members to be upcycled. Moreover, the Corradino Line can be excavated since we are considering depending less on vehicular transport.
This would connect the line to the Gun emplacement, thus giving importance to its historical value. Excavated material becomes part of the building material for the site.
By designing the activators around these historical fragments, there is the possibility of unlocking their potential narrative. By weaving through the immense volumes at different heights, multiple spatial experiences are possible.
The sites can be explored in a way that their unique form is further valued. Such exploration is possible by enabling layers of pathways and intersections. By integrating the pedestrian pathways through the activators, the public is exposed to the process and the level of awareness rises.
The actions of crossing over the Corradino Line and going up in the void of the vents contrasts their original notions of the line being a barrier, and the vents being a signifier of the underneath power station. This highlights the historical value, as one is contrasting the original intent.
Moreover, the historical fragments are very solid with straightforward, decisive geometry. By introducing a light, permeable construction, these values are further enhanced. Straight lines perpendicular geometry highlights the linearity of the voids.
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A material library, workshops and lecture spaces are thus proposed, allowing waste material to go through a process of research, experimentation, prototype creation, testing, development and redistribution.
The material flow is through an interconnected conveyor belt system. The construction is based on the concept of rethinking waste material and thus, the activators themselves become a means for the public to be exposed to the process.
The process is thus externalised, enabling anyone to participate in the next generation of materials.
The activators are an exploration of the values of nothingness: an investigation of volumes, heights, linearity and immense scales, as a means of valuing the spatial quality of the voids present.
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The material library and workshops + event space are proposed at the void of the Corradino Line.
The material library runs parallel to the Corradino Line, emphasising its linearity.
It incorporates a pedestrian pathway and a stepped interface that is connected to the main pathway, enabling people to cross over at different levels.
The material library involves also temporary storage units for materials. Pedestrians can see what is inside as they are travelling through the pathway and interface to cross over.
There is also the pickup and dropoff point of material from the conveyor belt, which is directly connected.
Material arriving from the conveyor belt is moved either towards the storage units or towards ground floor level, where moving trucks can transport it away.
This movement is enabled via a gantry crane system incorporated in the material library. The storage units are aligned and placed linearly, so that the gantry crane is able to reach laterally and longitudinally.
Through form finding and exploration, the material library evolved into one structure connected over the ditch and Line.
The workshops are based on several iterations of one unit to create a permeable environment and allowing light to penetrate to the ground floor level.
The combination of iterations allow intermediate spaces to develop in between the workshops and the public pathways.
These spaces become quiet, more private spaces for the users of the workshops.
The space behind the workshops is next to a sports ground, and this is an opportunity to cater for an event and recreation space. This space caters for talks and open air lectures, outdoor exhibitions, student sports matches and lingering space.
Landscaping is designed to connect the ground floor level to the football grounds. There is a direct connection between the back of the workshops to the conveyor belt, allowing material to be directly transported into the workshops.
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In order to emphasise the idea of reuse and upcycling, the excavated material and debris can be used for space defining elements and walls.
This would directly expose debris as a building material, as well as visually lift the structure upwards. The gabion wall system works with a series of structural steel plates and supported by the columns.
Due to the construction sequence, a space is needed on top of the wall from where debris is filled in. This becomes a perimeter of ventilation for these spaces. For the multipurpose rooms, different sized locally sourced debris can be utilised to create light filtering spaces.
The structure therefore works as a transition: as the top tiers being steel, the ground floor tier being a gabion wall [thus steel and stone] and the fortification wall beneath [stone].
Apart from excavated material, scrap like corrugated metal panels from disused containers can be employed as a component of the roofing and cladding. Upcycled structural components
can be employed in the creation of the event and recreational space, by slightly modifying them and allowing tensile structures to be erected as shelters.
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Through the exploration of possible volumes and interventions, the intervention in the voids of the vents became an application of the structure from the other activators. Designing a pathway around the different heights was not enough to transform this void into an activator.
Integrating the space as part of the system meant that the resultant pods were designed as small, enclosed gathering spaces. The flow of students and researchers into the space is further consolidated by the placing of consumption quarters in the vicinity as part of the general vision of Kordin.
The space is reached through a continuing pathway from the workshop spaces.
The built structures allow experience of the site at different heights, as well as add to the intrigue the void generates. This is highlighted since with the addition of greenery, the vents and interventions are partially hidden.
The void is activated as here the students and researchers are able to meet and discuss in small groups, while experiencing their environment at full force. The act of climbing up becomes symbolic in terms of contrasting what the vents represent: a direct connection downwards.
The pathway is a reinterpretation of the axes of the underground power station, which becomes a reference to the industrial heritage below. There is access to these structures, as the pathway is level and lifts are provided.
However, people are free to roam about the site, thus part of the pathway is isolated from the rest.
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This design process stemmed from our understanding of voids, their classification, values and inherent ability to work together to form a system. This led to the investigation of Kordin as an area fraught with a combination of voids and production areas. A general vision was worked out for the site, where this concept was applied.
The voids become activators for self-sufficient and resilient system of managing waste of the industries present.
Through understanding the need for experimentation and rethinking of waste as a resource, a system of activators with respect to the voids was laid out, working with existing typologies.
The focus was on designing the voids containing historical fragments, such that the design of the activators [being the material library, workshops and education and research pods] simultaneously respects and emphasises the values identified. This is through the architectural language, structure and materiality, programme and gestures.