Participant, eVolo 2020 Skyscraper Competition

Project report

Only the dead have seen the end of the war…” — George SANTAYANA

Preface

Conflicts and wars have been going on in various parts of the world for almost eight years; especially in the middle east. Lives were lost, cities were plundered, houses and shelters were destroyed.

As is well known, wars have very serious consequences; devastation of cities and habitats, civil displacements and refugee problems, collapse of infrastructures and much more…

On the other hand, mandatory increased production in post-war industry, harms the natural environment including the areas even not affected physically by war.

The worst outcomes of the wars are: Losses will never be compensated and the psychological damage will be almost impossible to repair.

“So what have we got to compensate for our future generations?”

“Can we rebuilt what has been destructed without the demand on new resources?”

Maybe we will never be able to stop wars, but we may save the habitats from the harms of increased industrial production and we may save the environment…

Statement

The District

It’s been eight years since the civil war began in Syria. Hundreds of thousands of people died, millions of people left homeless and became refugees. Most of the cities destroyed. And now, only the forlorn streets dominates those cities.

Inside Syria, Kobané is one of the districts that is mostly affected by the civil war. More than 3.200 civil or public structures have been destroyed. Nearly 50.000 people left homeless and had to relocate around the world as refugees.

The Purpose

The possible reconstruction of cities in the post-war zones, will require new resources and high energy consumption during the production process for building materials.

The construction industry consumes almost %12 of water and generates nearly %40 of total waste; construction and demolition waste are one of the most heaviest and most voluminious waste streams generated.

Demolition recycling can be considered as an important step to prevent excessive industrial production. As a result of many researches, successfull material reclamation and careful recycling practices can recycle more then %90 of the debris.

Building materials such as concrete, brick, glass, wood, metals, plastics, floor and wall coverings and insulations can be recycled at certain rates from collapsed structures.

The Cycle-Scraper will rise by recycling these building materials from collapsed structures. Thus, it is planned to solve the problems of post-war overproduction and consumption and to prevent war victims from living as refugees.

Cycle-Scrapers will be containing artificial habitats which designed according to the basic ideas of ‘Garden City’ principles by Ebenezer HOWARD (1898). These temporary neighboorhoods are artificial environments that generates its own requirements such as water, energy and etc.

Inside these artificial habitats, the detachable multi-family housing units are designed. In the future prospect, these leightweighted units will be detached from it’s artificial habitat and will be re-installed on the purified lands of the post-war district.

Allegory

The Sentry Plant (Agave Americana) Analogy

Some say that, Agave Americana plant symbolizes the fertility goddes named Mayahuel. She spoke of the wind, rain and the crops in the lands.

The roots and the base leafs of the plant are used to cure deseases. For Cylce-Scraper, the base represents the cycle of life and beginnings.

Trunk of the plant collects and distributes water and minerals. For Cycle-Scraper the trunk is the Vertical Circulation Zone and it represents the backbone of the system. Brings and carries life.

The Sentry Plants presents their flowers and seeds just before they die. Even they dissapear their seeds grow around. For Cycle-Scraper, the crown is where the life sustains and incubates fort the next generations…