CLOUDFIELD - LAGI COMPETITION 2012

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CLOUDFIELD - LAGI COMPETITION 2012

Firm

Katherine Moya

Type

Hospitality + Sport ›
Cultural ›
Landscape + Planning › Public Park

Shortlisted as 1 of 25 finalists out of 250 submissions. CLOUDFIELD….
Fresh Kills Park, given its fragile
connotation and character it’s perceived as a crystal-likeplace for any
physical intervention, like a balloon close to a needle, it requires a surgical
or gentle approach to any proposal. The thick layered condition of its soil,
waste, soil, becomes a natural generator of layers that accumulate over time
giving insights of what an energy device should operate on this specific site.
The proposal aims to add a new soft layer of energy/wild life support that brings
life into the site over the existent condition and
fulfilling the broken ecosystem cycle that was in place pre-landfill times.
WHY
A CLOUD?
For us the starting point for this
challenging project was how to become part of the construction process of a new
landscape. The answer may reside on the key word of PROCESS; it will require
then a method, a means of growth to support the REGENERATION of a new
landscape, a new aesthetic that also embraces the underground condition of the
site. For us it will require an ethereal ally, a gentle sentinel system which
aim is to PURIFY the ecosystem by means of the substratum enrichment and also
by switching the meaning of the park into a positive realm.
The CLOUD symbolizes the transitional state
of a park at its embryonic phase, in a more abstract approach a CLOUD is the
matter of all matters, condensed water as a basic knowledge; it’s also the most
common natural element in our everyday life, constantly mutating shapes and
moods, seeing as providers of life with rains and sun shade, playing a crucial
role in our ecosystem, balancing the environments with their presence.
CloudFields is conceived as a living device
in it-self, evolutionary per-se, a living sculpture instead of an object
sculpture. The main purpose of the project is to restore the historic and
original condition of the place, developing organic and sustainable skins on
each of the cloud types, from solar applications to green layered skins with
the aim to understand the sustainability on its holistic approach not only
energy driven but even most important is to be engaged with the wild-life and
ecosystem in all levels, where the fields are irrigated with organic matter
that enriches the soil and therefore builds over time a new ecosystem that will
reach its former maturity.

The modern sense of urban parks are directly
linked with the habitat experience that can produce, and the future sense will
be directly linked not only of the habitat and experience but also the energy
it can produce, in that way the CloudFields will set a new paradigm of how a future urban park should behave,
merging into one both realms. The direct relationship between sun and clouds
makes them an ideal match for solar application as the energy strategy to go
for.
In overall, The CLOUDFIELDS are a dreamlike
image that aims to shift the current negative perception that the community has
from the Fresh Kills Landfill area into the positive realm.
SITE
LAYOUT
The layout on site of the clouds define 3
main nodes at the top of the mounds, 1 node at the North Park and 2 nodes at
the East Park (north and south end), linking all 3 nodes by a path of clouds
where pedestrian activities are supporting the promenade of the site with
sightseeing spots along the trail. This layout engages the initial master plan
proposed for the whole Landfill site setting a framework to contemplate from
any given point of the site and surroundings.These devices are set to be lifted
from the ground plane to clear the eye level views and allocating the solar panels
at a higher altitude for grteater solar radiance capture.
The distribution program is set in 6
different options, this gives the flexibility to adjust the quantities
according to the required needs of the development, always keeping a balanced
approach between human activities, energy supply and wild life support.

TYPOLOGIES
We propose 3 types of clouds addressing the
programs that will support all the activities to occur at the park, from energy
to wild-life specific, the Blue Cloud (solar energy – Large size), the Green
Cloud (wild-life – Medium size), the White Cloud (shade activities – small
size); these 3 devices will produce a synergy of events that will bring life to
the project.
Blue cloud: Large size (150x80x60 ft) aka
mother cloud, the solar energy cloud, will supply energy back to the urban
energy grid having a 0.18 acres approximate per cloud for solar panel surface
(7,840 sqf aprox.) its metal structure diamond grid house solar panels that are
wired through the steel post back to the central station. The solar panels are
made of OPVC (organic photovoltaic plastic sheet) that will be applied over a
PTFE TEFLON COATED FIBERGLASS tensed between the diamond grid. It is also half
covered by creeper plants.
Green cloud: Medium size (100x54x40 ft),home
of wild-life and organic metabolism, fully covered by decidious vegetation
(creeper plants) will give organic nutrition to the soil cap as its matter turn
into compost during cold seasons. During warm seasons it will attract wild-life
with its blossoms. The proposed bamboo diamond grid structure will mimic the
organic growth degrading over the years and becoming part of the landscape.
White cloud: Small size (75x40x30 ft), it is
the shade-cloud, it provides shelter and covered area for events such as music,
theater, picnic, etc. Made out of a
metal structure diamond grid as the blue cloud, the skin is a tensed recyclable
membrane that can collect rain or fog water for other site maintenances and irrigation
of the soil. It operates as a spontaneous tent if needed.
The multiple combination of these 3 clouds
define clusters types that can be reproduced as many times the projects
requires.
To manage efficiencies and reduce
construction cost they all share the same structural typology, using a diamond
grid that defines its shape generated from a single module in various scales,
they house all the features for each type so solar panels, planters, irrigation
systems, etc. are part of the structure.

STRUCTURE
The ground structure is defined by strategic
points for post anchors that ties back the diamond grid structure to a foot
wall half buried on the 6’’ top soil cap to avoid harm to the landfill caps
underneath, the foot walls will become benches or tables for the users in
different areas, defining also an inner space under the clouds. The vertical
steel posts are positioned in a non-Cartesian position to create a forest-like
view scape that aims to blend with the future organic growth of the site.
ENERGY
OUTCOME
Our main source of energy is the sun,
therefore the selection of the solar panel to be applied has to relate to the
easthetics of the project, structural constrains of the site and availabilityin
the market.
OPVC (Organic Photovoltaic Plastic Sheet) is
a 3rd generation solar panel that complies with all these requirements, part of
its properties are that has a 5%-10% eficiency in energy outcome, other
advantages of the OPVC is that is a lightweigth material that minimizes the
structural load for structural sizing, it has an inherent flexibility to be
applied in complex geometrical surfaces, its translucency means that can also
be applied over a ligth transmitting surfaces such as poly composed plastic
membranes or glass; and finally it doesn’t require to be set on a fix angle due to its energy outcome
requires the radiance precense of daylight (non direct sunlight). Since the panel
surfaces are placed at the top of the cloud structure their radiance capturing
performance is enhanced and secured of any casted shadows and obstruction.
The CloudField proposes 6 options of solar
applications that ranges from a 10.8
acre min. to 16.2 acre max. According to wich setting is choosen for the final
development. The energy that is provided by the solar panels will be sent to
the urban grid and sold for park management income.