Remove & Expose; Regenerating West-Chicago

REMOVE & EXPOSE

Chicago’s Public Soil Treatment Plant

Ilham Lakhal Complex Projects // Mick van Gemert . Hubert van der Meel

REMOVE & EXPOSEMain Question :

Can we rethink industrial processes architecturally and make them publicly accessible?

...If so - HOW?

Break down Presentation

01 CONTEXT IS OF THE ESSENCE

02 PERSONAL VISION FOR THE WEST SIDE

03 DISCOVERING URGENCIES

04 MASTERPL AN VISION

05 DEFINING THE T YPOLOGY

06 HELPFUL AND NOT SO HELPFUL REFERENCES

07 DESIGN + MASTERPL AN: EXPLORING IT

Let’s start contextualizing things first...

CHICAGO!

01

Country: USA

State: Illinois

City: Chicago

01

What’s Chicago like?

01

Skyscrapers

01

Extreme weather

01

ElevatedPublic Transport

01

Chicago Transit Lines:01

Centre

CTA’s Major Flaw:01

Centre

Introduction Vertical Line01

Centre

The Lime Line01

Midcity, Chicago

Centre

01

Midcity, Chicago

Centre

01

Why do we call the area Midcity?

1 Complex Projects Graduation Studio 7

suburban downtownIN-BETWEEN


suburban downtownIN-BETWEENT H E I N B E T W E E N

01

Focus on the In-between area


suburban downtownIN-BETWEEN


suburban downtownIN-BETWEENT H E I N B E T W E E N

01

Greater Masterplan for Midcity

Centre RHIzOMEStarting from the Lime Line proposal, that we considered to be more efficient as a CTA, we conceived our project thinking how this new infrastructure can enhance the development of the area. This long strip of intervention will span from north to south, going through fourteen neighborhoods. We thought that this future improvement can be the chance to intervene in a way not to over-impose programs, but looking at the elements that right now define the identities of these neighborhoods and try to enhance them. The strategy starts, this way, by analyzing the existing programs and then looking at places for future interventions and expansion. Vacancies, either in land and buildings, gave us this opportunity to give an added value to the whole area. The whole strategy develops around two main themes, the so called “spine” and the “nodes”.

CONCEPT DIAGRAM

LIME LINESTRETCH

NODECENTERS

AREA OF INFLUENCE

IDENTITIES OF NEIGHBORHOODS

The nodes have the characteristic to be conceived as peculiar situation for each one of them. We defined six according to the existing configuration of where the major infrastructures meet the Lime Line. The plan for this nodes is conceived to let them acting as elements going “against the city grid” in order to give a chance to a synergy to be created. This is reached by the meeting of two different urban patterns, where the space in between gives a clear definition for new urban dynamics to emerge and to give an identifiable character for the actual situations and the future ones.

ANALYSIS DRAWINGS

the sinergy between the two elements brings opportunities that are more than the sum of each

a new way to preceive and live the space that the discontinuity creates an identifiable scheme to follow leads to a less arbitrary way to add future interventions

SYNERGYThe Synergy between the two elements brings about a new way to perceive and use the space that the discontinuity creates an identifiable scheme to follow leads to a less arbitrary way to add future interventions.

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

INDUSTRIAL HUBMany manufacturing Industries exist along the lime line without a pattern . However most of these industries are on the verge of shutting down or have already been shut down for many reasons. The proposal aims at clubbing together the industries on the south side of the lime line around the sanitary canal. The sanitary Canal could act as a source of energy production , waste disposal and transport of manufactured goods . Green Patches have been introduced around the industry buildings as public spaces in order to clean the air-pollution partially.

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

recycle HUB

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

commercial HUBThe area next to six corners is characterized by several commercial activities. The largest amount of people living there is below their forties and work as employees in business companies. The future node enhances the commercial character of the area for development of fair expositions and markets, also considering the strong infrastructural link to the airport. This connection, also toward the city, and the tendency of the workers living here triggers the development of a business district too.

Chicago Graduation StudioIlham Lakhal - Akshey Krishna - Luca Vacchini

PHASING DIAGRAM

MAIN opportunityCONNECTIVITY

new generation of entre-preneurs

housing the new generation

area becomes attractive

increase in activity

increase value, more housing initiatives

The SpineThe spine is meant to be a long strip running all the way along the new CTA line, with the main function to be the strong and “vital connection” of the all development. This element, that

connects the first node to the last one, is to be considered as a continuous infrastructural element giving services, organization and identity to all the area. We called it “infrastructural element” because it’s not only a public space platform but it’s also a major infrastructural line comprehending energy, water, waste management, ecological green buffer and of course movement and providing all this to the whole area.

Node three is based on the approach of reconfiguration. By reusing the existing elements in a different way, we aim to establish an intervention that could revive the area and introduce a different atmosphere. Through looking at the intervention in phases, we are able to anticipate a gradual change in the area. The two main existing programmatic elements present before intervening, were industries and residential blocks- many of which abandoned. The industries once occupied a massive area devoid of any other programme,

going against the grid in a dominant manner. Residents occupying the perimeter of the industrial area, making attempts at filling the blocks (within the grid) with houses, resulted in a terrain vague. Our approach is to break the harsh boundary between the former industries and the residential ‘’terrain vague’’ area. We introduced a new housing type that is organized in a more organic manner to open up to public spaces and create a less dense fabric allowing programs to interact.

Breaking the Grid - Superimposing CHAMPS ELYSEES , PARIS on the Urban Fabric

Breaking the Grid - Superimposing D.L.REFORMA , MEXICO CITY on the Urban Fabric

OPEN SPACES COHESION COMPACT INDUSTRIES

HOSING INTERVENTIONCOMMERCIAL, OFFICES,

PUBLIC AREAS’ DISPOSITION

Vacancies have been used to reconfigure the programs in the area and enhance the quality of it.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

ENTERTAINMENT

COMMERCIAL

HOTELS

RESIDENTIAL

OPEN SPACES

OFFICES

PARKING LOTS

INDUSTRIES/

WAREHOUSES

commercial hub

alternative housing scheme

recycle hub

safe hub

industrial hub

entertainment hub

transit hub

01

3

RHIzOMEStarting from the Lime Line proposal, that we considered to be more efficient as a CTA, we conceived our project thinking how this new infrastructure can enhance the development of the area. This long strip of intervention will span from north to south, going through fourteen neighborhoods. We thought that this future improvement can be the chance to intervene in a way not to over-impose programs, but looking at the elements that right now define the identities of these neighborhoods and try to enhance them. The strategy starts, this way, by analyzing the existing programs and then looking at places for future interventions and expansion. Vacancies, either in land and buildings, gave us this opportunity to give an added value to the whole area. The whole strategy develops around two main themes, the so called “spine” and the “nodes”.

CONCEPT DIAGRAM

LIME LINESTRETCH

NODECENTERS

AREA OF INFLUENCE

IDENTITIES OF NEIGHBORHOODS

The nodes have the characteristic to be conceived as peculiar situation for each one of them. We defined six according to the existing configuration of where the major infrastructures meet the Lime Line. The plan for this nodes is conceived to let them acting as elements going “against the city grid” in order to give a chance to a synergy to be created. This is reached by the meeting of two different urban patterns, where the space in between gives a clear definition for new urban dynamics to emerge and to give an identifiable character for the actual situations and the future ones.

ANALYSIS DRAWINGS

the sinergy between the two elements brings opportunities that are more than the sum of each

a new way to preceive and live the space that the discontinuity creates an identifiable scheme to follow leads to a less arbitrary way to add future interventions

SYNERGYThe Synergy between the two elements brings about a new way to perceive and use the space that the discontinuity creates an identifiable scheme to follow leads to a less arbitrary way to add future interventions.

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

INDUSTRIAL HUBMany manufacturing Industries exist along the lime line without a pattern . However most of these industries are on the verge of shutting down or have already been shut down for many reasons. The proposal aims at clubbing together the industries on the south side of the lime line around the sanitary canal. The sanitary Canal could act as a source of energy production , waste disposal and transport of manufactured goods . Green Patches have been introduced around the industry buildings as public spaces in order to clean the air-pollution partially.

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

recycle HUB

EXISTING PROGRAM

PROPOSED PROGRAM

commercial HUBThe area next to six corners is characterized by several commercial activities. The largest amount of people living there is below their forties and work as employees in business companies. The future node enhances the commercial character of the area for development of fair expositions and markets, also considering the strong infrastructural link to the airport. This connection, also toward the city, and the tendency of the workers living here triggers the development of a business district too.

Chicago Graduation StudioIlham Lakhal - Akshey Krishna - Luca Vacchini

PHASING DIAGRAM

MAIN opportunityCONNECTIVITY

new generation of entre-preneurs

housing the new generation

area becomes attractive

increase in activity

increase value, more housing initiatives

The SpineThe spine is meant to be a long strip running all the way along the new CTA line, with the main function to be the strong and “vital connection” of the all development. This element, that

connects the first node to the last one, is to be considered as a continuous infrastructural element giving services, organization and identity to all the area. We called it “infrastructural element” because it’s not only a public space platform but it’s also a major infrastructural line comprehending energy, water, waste management, ecological green buffer and of course movement and providing all this to the whole area.

Node three is based on the approach of reconfiguration. By reusing the existing elements in a different way, we aim to establish an intervention that could revive the area and introduce a different atmosphere. Through looking at the intervention in phases, we are able to anticipate a gradual change in the area. The two main existing programmatic elements present before intervening, were industries and residential blocks- many of which abandoned. The industries once occupied a massive area devoid of any other programme,

going against the grid in a dominant manner. Residents occupying the perimeter of the industrial area, making attempts at filling the blocks (within the grid) with houses, resulted in a terrain vague. Our approach is to break the harsh boundary between the former industries and the residential ‘’terrain vague’’ area. We introduced a new housing type that is organized in a more organic manner to open up to public spaces and create a less dense fabric allowing programs to interact.

Breaking the Grid - Superimposing CHAMPS ELYSEES , PARIS on the Urban Fabric

Breaking the Grid - Superimposing D.L.REFORMA , MEXICO CITY on the Urban Fabric

OPEN SPACES COHESION COMPACT INDUSTRIES

HOSING INTERVENTIONCOMMERCIAL, OFFICES,

PUBLIC AREAS’ DISPOSITION

Vacancies have been used to reconfigure the programs in the area and enhance the quality of it.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

ENTERTAINMENT

COMMERCIAL

HOTELS

RESIDENTIAL

OPEN SPACES

OFFICES

PARKING LOTS

INDUSTRIES/

WAREHOUSES

commercial hub

alternative housing scheme

recycle hub

safe hub

industrial hub

entertainment hub

transit hub

Recycle hub

Focus on the Recycle Hub02

Midcity largely defined by industrial corridors:02

Chosen Site

02

Humboldt Park

Austin WestGarfield Park

02

CTA Lime Line

02

notable to change a whole

neighbourhood or behavioural patterns through

social programs

02

yesAble to address

environmental issues & turn these into assets

02

the site as a landmark

Perceiving the masterplan intervention as a site that not only provides the area with something to be proud of, but also attracts people from outside

02

how could this landmark lead to improvements in the neighbourhoods?

pride

education

employment

value

02

reimagining the site as

industrial corridor 2.0 :

urban recycle park

1. accepting its industrial function and 2. facing urban waste

3. serving the site 02

DISCOVERING URGENCIES

ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AS DESIGN TOOLS

03

so what are the environmental issues, locally?03

pollutant that plays a big factor in the area, on many levels:

lead contamination03

America’s Real Criminal Element: LeadNew research finds Pb is the hidden villain behind violent crime,

lower IQs, and even the ADHD epidemic

03

Indoors

03

Outdoors

03

Treatment

Prevention

03

Children with the highest rates elevated blood lead levels in Chicago

‘‘neighborhoods dangerously contaminated by lead’’

The choices on how best to deal with the problems have been problematic to say the least

- USA Today

- Metro Jacksonville

03

where does the problem come from?

‘....But the truth is that any neighborhood built before the mid 70s, (when lead based paints were banned in the US) is just as

likely to be contaminated and toxic---usually with lead.’’

03

03

Recycle urgency #1

lead contaminated soilhigh urgency because:

01. houses are decaying faster (demolition etc)

02. increase interest in urban farming (austin)

03. affects other resources (water)

03

how are the urgencies related?

04

01 soil

based on the block

01 test 02 evaluate 03 move topsoil

04 lay topsoil back

04 bring to site

05 from site to block

05 treat soil06 clean soil

lead absorbing plants fungi turning lead into minerals

04

Area of Intervention

My Proposed Intervention

Masterplan

04

SOIL Treatment Plant WATER Treatment Plant Compost Production Plant

The Urban Recycle Park

04

CONNECTING THE THREE RECYCLING CENTERS

ROUTE through the urban park, visiting each treat-ment plant

04

WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN THE LARGER MASTERPLAN AND THE BUILDING?

SMALL SCALE VERSION OF THE MASTERPLAN

04

DEFINING THE TYPOLOGY

THROUGH A PROCESS THAT TACKLES THE URGENCY OF LEAD POLLUTION IN BACKGARDENS

05

Concept

soil centremuseum

05

Cycle A: Mycoremediation Cycle B: Phytoremediation

Two ways to treat the lead-pollutedsoil:

05

Cycle A: Mycoremediation Cycle B: Phytoremediation

Two ways to treat the lead-pollutedsoil: Identifying point in the cycles

05

Studying the points & their requirements Translating these points into spaces

05

Studying the points & their requirements Translating these points into spaces

05

LABS

SEEDBANK

MIXHALLGREENHOUSE

DARKROOM

LABS

SHED

Site Integration determines composition

05

LABS

SEEDBANK

MIXHALLGREENHOUSE

DARKROOM

LABS

SHED

Site Integration determines composition

05

Logistics determines composition

05

Logistics determines compositionLogistics & Public Requirements = Inputs

For finding the right composition

05

Logistics & Public Requirements = InputsFor finding the right composition

05



Underground routing & spaces

05

HELPFUL AND NOT SO HELPFUL REFERENCES06

Agricultural & Industrial buidings

06

Wineries came closest to my typology

06


Underground routing & spaces

07

Going from this...

To this

07

LOGISTICS VS PUBLIC

07


public flow

logistic flow

static posi- exposed

depends on which plant you’re ex-posed to

seperation by seperation by seperation by seperation in height + cov-

seperation in height + cov-

indirect sunlight

soil hall dark- storage seed green-phytoremedi-mycoremedia-

labs1 labs2

I

SHED

07






indirect sunlight


labs1 labs2

I

public flow

logistic flow

Approach logistics/public

LABS

07

SEEDBANK


public flow

logistic flow





indirect sunlight


labs1 labs2

I

07


public flow

logistic flow





indirect sunlight


labs1 labs2

I

VERTICAL GH

07

UG exhibition spaces

07

SHED

07

LABS

07






indirect sunlight


labs1 labs2

I

public flow

logistic flow

DARKROOM

07


public flow

logistic flow





indirect sunlight


labs1 labs2

I

MIXING HALL

07

07 Materials & the importance of easy assembly and recycled materials

Re-using the site

- Metal/Steel from warehouses

- Scrap Metal from Cars

Recycling

Recycling into sheet metal panels (durable & low carbon footprint)

07

Materials & Climate

Greenhouse glazing

Perforated metal mesh as shading

Winter Situation

Summer Situation

Perforated metal mesh as shading

Frosted polycarbonate

SIP panels

Galvanized steel structure

Glulam beams

Cross bracing - steel rods

Steel portal frame

SIP panels

Recycled glass panels as rain-screen

Concrete shell

Slimdek floor on steel I beams

Triple polycarbonate

Highly insulated shell

07

07

SIP Panels

07

Concluding

REMOVE & EXPOSE

REMOVE & EXPOSEI believe there is a great future in these new typologies of public-ly acsessible industrial or agrarian buildings - it might even be the only way to make people more aware of our surroundings and the

waste we produce, especially in large cities as Chicago.

EXPOSE

Thank you!

Remove & Expose; Regenerating West-Chicago

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