Allegories of Growth, Decay & Decomposition

2021

"The narrative of the project deals with developing territories that provoke the socio-political scene as built-allegories occurring under the influence of the climatic emergency. Through biological, material and chemical lifecycles the proposed landscapes shift between phases of decay, decomposition and growth within their physical nature as they respond to the external properties of the environment. In order to stage parallel landscape lifecycles, the tectonic has to be inherent to the hierarchies of decaying properties which engage with the ground texture, climatic moisture, tidal levels and growing vegetation species. This configuration is researched in the project by providing temporary earthen support in the form of “geogrids” or “geotextiles” which will eventually be decomposed over time. Their complete dissolution will mark the initiation and habitat expansion of organic growth. Critically highlighting the long term effects of intense industrial use such as Nuclear Power production, in two short design tasks the landscape is reimagined as an allegorical territory carrying dynamic cycles of “decaying” tectonic in forms of tidal sand erosion, deposition and material decomposition. The heterogeneous assemblies simulate surface expansion, landcover and natural habitat restoration as soon as they dissolve after their long term contact with water. "