From rendering to reality: APTUM\u2019s pontoon-like concrete forms are designed to serve as breakwaters and reintroduce mangroves along the coast of Colombia.<\/i><\/p>\n
Isla Rhizolith \/ <\/b>Rhizolith Island<\/b>by APTUM Architecture<\/p>\n
A partnership spearheaded by APTUM<\/a> with CEMEX Research Group <\/a>and Syracuse University architecture students resulted in an experimental project of floating concrete islands to reintroduce mangroves along the Port of Cartagena, Colombia. The floating structure is a root system encased in mineral matter, created through processes of weathering, decomposition and cementation. Serving as breakwaters, the structure is composed of two parts: a \u201chead\u201d and a \u201cfin.\u201d<\/p>\n Images via APTUM<\/i><\/p>\n Cast in a light concrete mix to allow floating, the head is outfitted with voids to account for lateral growth. The \u201cfin,\u201d as the base is cast in denser Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC), with its stability and in-laid voids promotes habitat opportunity for other species. The Rhizolith relies on its material porosity and its floating form to diffuse water force.<\/p>\n Images via APTUM<\/i><\/p>\n Eventually the structures anchor themselves into the seabed when they reach full maturity, envisioned to take five to 10 years. To aggregate along the shore, the Rhizolith island uses ropes to wrap through the steel grommets embedded in the rubber ring of the head.<\/p>\n TetraPOT <\/b>by Sheng-Hung Lee & Wan Kee Lee<\/p>\n Lee+Lee created a synthesized form that exploits the strengths of natural and man-made coastline defense systems after noting the failure of Tetrapods. The form takes after the Tetrapods, the four-legged concrete structures that occupy many coastlines. The \u201cTetraPOT,\u201d composed of concrete, organic materials and plants, strategically hollows out the tetrapod to hold a decomposable pot and allow mangrove roots to spread outward.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n
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