Post-electrical landscapes result from the decommissioning of electricity production activities, waiting to be transformed. These landscapes often have recurrent characteristics, such as their location on waterfront areas -because of the historical link between water and electricity production-, the presence of soil contamination -linked to production mode-, or their state of abandonment -due to difficulties for reactivation-. The rate of decommissioning of thermal plants is currently growing. Therefore, the issue of what to do with these areas at the urban edge is of burning topicality. The inherent complexity of post-electrical landscapes implies that they often remain closed for years after they are halted, frozen in a common paradigm of immobility, while the surrounding areas keep on transforming; suspended territories, waiting for investors interested in a reactivation. Starting from these premises, the thesis begins with a reflection on the theme of time in relation to territory and then focuses on a specific post-electric landscape. This is the waterfront of Sant Adrià de Besòs, placed at the north-east border of Barcelona, Spain. In 2010, a large thermal power generation plant was shut down, along other industries in the same area. All these structures have been demolished, remaining today the turbines building, three chimneys and about 180.000 square meters of empty ground with large portions of contaminated soil. The methodology used is that of a careful study of the place, investigating its past and analysing its present. The project started not from a program but from the site itself, to design a solution for its condition of immobility. The strategy adopted is based on the idea of “open design”, intended as a programmatic non-finished. Rather than assuming a single intervention, the project foresees sequential landscapes marked by the timing of the soil reclamation. The transformation of this post-electrical landscape is divided in stages, according to a procedural logic. This way some portions can be reactivated while others remain closed. The strategy is supported by a theoretical research on the concept of time and openness, reinforced by case studies on projects of parks in brownfield areas. An industrial function is chosen for a quick reactivation of the former power plant building. A data center, a building that contains machines for the recollection and management of computer data, occupies the large voids which hosted the turbines. In some way, it represents the physical part of the internet, a kind of contemporary factory increasingly present in our cities. The characteristics of the building are suitable for this use with minimal changes. A park is designed in the rest of the site, in order to re-naturalize and preserve a stretch of coastline that is a resource in the large metropolitan area of Barcelona. The park was also chosen to stimulate incremental changes on the long term in the surrounding urban fabric, following the logic of transformation that has already characterized the waterfront of the Spanish city. In fact, the waterfront reclamation may result in an increase of land value of the surroundings and encourage a transformation of a tissue today residual. The landscape design is born from the logic of the reclamation, so the topography of the site changes according to the necessary excavations. Within the park are then inserted devices that foster the use of time as a constructive element of the landscape. Once the reclamation is completed and the data center comes to the end of its working time, this can be decommissioned and the building may be transformed into new public functions. The scenarios are open. In conclusion, in the uncertainty of these brownfields lies their potential, because right in the indefinite future there may be an openness to change.
I paesaggi post-elettrici sono i paesaggi derivanti dalla dismissione di attività di produzione elettrica, in attesa di una trasformazione. Si tratta di paesaggi con caratteristiche spesso ricorrenti. Tra queste la localizzazione su aree waterfront, per via del legame storico tra acqua e produzione elettrica, la presenza di contaminazione del suolo, legata alle modalità produttive, e infine lo stato di abbandono, dovuto alle difficoltà per la riattivazione. Oggi il fenomeno della dismissione delle centrali termoelettriche è in crescita. Per questo si porrà sempre più la domanda di cosa fare in questi luoghi ai margini dell’urbano. La complessità intrinseca di queste aree implica che vivano un paradigma comune di immobilità che le porta a restare chiuse per anni, mentre la città all’intorno si trasforma. Territori in sospeso, in attesa di investitori interessati alla riattivazione. Considerando queste premesse, la tesi parte da una riflessione sul tema del tempo in relazione al territorio, per poi concentrarsi su uno specifico paesaggio post-elettrico. Si tratta del lungomare di Sant Adrià de Besòs, al confine nord-est di Barcellona. Nel 2010 un grande impianto di produzione termoelettrica e altre industrie che occupavano l’area hanno terminato la produzione. Tutte le strutture sono state demolite, ma restano l’edificio delle turbine, tre ciminiere e circa 180.000 metri quadri di suolo libero. Rimangono poi grandi porzioni di terreno contaminato. La metodologia utilizzata è quella di un attento studio delle condizioni del luogo, indagandone il passato e analizzandone il presente. Non si è quindi partiti da un programma, ma dal sito stesso, per fornire una risposta progettuale alla sua condizione di immobilità. La strategia individuata si basa sull’idea di progetto aperto, inteso come un non-finito programmatico. Invece di ipotizzare un intervento unico, il progetto prevede paesaggi sequenziali scanditi dai tempi della bonifica. Si struttura il cambiamento per fasi, secondo una logica processuale e con un progetto aperto nel tempo. Così alcune porzioni possono essere riattivate mentre altre restano chiuse. La strategia viene supportata da una ricerca teorica sul concetto di tempo e di apertura, affiancata da casi studio su progetti di parchi in aree brownfield. Per riattivare in brevi tempi l’edificio della ex centrale vi si inserisce una funzione industriale. Si tratta di un data center, cioè un edificio che contiene le macchine per la raccolta e la gestione di dati informatici, che rappresenta in un certo senso la parte fisica di internet. Una sorta di fabbrica contemporanea, sempre più presente nelle nostre città. Le caratteristiche dell’edificio si prestano a questo utilizzo con modifiche minime. Nell’area circostante si progetta un parco, per rinaturalizzare e preservare un tratto di costa che resta una risorsa nella grande area metropolitana di Barcellona. Il parco è stato scelto anche per attivare cambiamenti incrementali a lungo termine nel tessuto urbano circostante, seguendo la logica di trasformazione che ha già caratterizzato il lungomare della città spagnola. Infatti la riqualificazione del waterfront può portare all’aumento di valore dell’intorno e favorire una trasformazione di un tessuto oggi residuale. Il progetto del paesaggio è basato sulle logiche della bonifica, così la topografia del sito viene modificata in base agli scavi necessari. All’interno del parco vengono poi inseriti dei dispositivi temporali che ragionano sul tempo come elemento costruttivo del paesaggio. Una volta completato il processo di bonifica e al termine della propria vita utile, il data center potrà essere dismesso e l’edificio può essere destinato a nuove funzioni pubbliche. Gli scenari sono aperti. In conclusione, nell’incertezza di queste aree dismesse risiede la loro potenzialità, perché proprio nel futuro indefinito può esservi un’apertura al cambiamento.
An open plan for a post-electrical landscape. Reclaiming Sant Adrià de Besòs waterfront
GRILLO, NICOLETTA;GEROLDI, ALBERTO
2014/2015
Abstract
Post-electrical landscapes result from the decommissioning of electricity production activities, waiting to be transformed. These landscapes often have recurrent characteristics, such as their location on waterfront areas -because of the historical link between water and electricity production-, the presence of soil contamination -linked to production mode-, or their state of abandonment -due to difficulties for reactivation-. The rate of decommissioning of thermal plants is currently growing. Therefore, the issue of what to do with these areas at the urban edge is of burning topicality. The inherent complexity of post-electrical landscapes implies that they often remain closed for years after they are halted, frozen in a common paradigm of immobility, while the surrounding areas keep on transforming; suspended territories, waiting for investors interested in a reactivation. Starting from these premises, the thesis begins with a reflection on the theme of time in relation to territory and then focuses on a specific post-electric landscape. This is the waterfront of Sant Adrià de Besòs, placed at the north-east border of Barcelona, Spain. In 2010, a large thermal power generation plant was shut down, along other industries in the same area. All these structures have been demolished, remaining today the turbines building, three chimneys and about 180.000 square meters of empty ground with large portions of contaminated soil. The methodology used is that of a careful study of the place, investigating its past and analysing its present. The project started not from a program but from the site itself, to design a solution for its condition of immobility. The strategy adopted is based on the idea of “open design”, intended as a programmatic non-finished. Rather than assuming a single intervention, the project foresees sequential landscapes marked by the timing of the soil reclamation. The transformation of this post-electrical landscape is divided in stages, according to a procedural logic. This way some portions can be reactivated while others remain closed. The strategy is supported by a theoretical research on the concept of time and openness, reinforced by case studies on projects of parks in brownfield areas. An industrial function is chosen for a quick reactivation of the former power plant building. A data center, a building that contains machines for the recollection and management of computer data, occupies the large voids which hosted the turbines. In some way, it represents the physical part of the internet, a kind of contemporary factory increasingly present in our cities. The characteristics of the building are suitable for this use with minimal changes. A park is designed in the rest of the site, in order to re-naturalize and preserve a stretch of coastline that is a resource in the large metropolitan area of Barcelona. The park was also chosen to stimulate incremental changes on the long term in the surrounding urban fabric, following the logic of transformation that has already characterized the waterfront of the Spanish city. In fact, the waterfront reclamation may result in an increase of land value of the surroundings and encourage a transformation of a tissue today residual. The landscape design is born from the logic of the reclamation, so the topography of the site changes according to the necessary excavations. Within the park are then inserted devices that foster the use of time as a constructive element of the landscape. Once the reclamation is completed and the data center comes to the end of its working time, this can be decommissioned and the building may be transformed into new public functions. The scenarios are open. In conclusion, in the uncertainty of these brownfields lies their potential, because right in the indefinite future there may be an openness to change.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/121885