Insular Nomad

University of Costa Rica, School of Architecture, San José

Project idea

Insular Nomad is a human growth proposal conceptualized in the biocenotic relation between environment and human beings, where the machine is created as a channel to reach a sustainable development. The project represents an alternative against the human impact in the ecosystem and its environmental repercussions. It finds its context in the ocean’s pelagic zone, area that fills all the conditions needed for its survival. In the same way, the space enables its nomadic displacement determined by the ecosystem’s regeneration cycles and its atmospheric conditions.

Project description

The project consists in 2 physical components (Island and Nomads) and 3 working systems (Production, Housing and Human Development). The first one includes the energetic and food production using a sub-system of collected renewable resources from the sun, wind and waves. Also, a mechanism to obtain clean water is created by the techniques of thermal desalination, inverse osmosis and reutilization of the hydric resource. Besides, the system uses the remaining brine from the desalination processes to create products for domestic use based in sodium bicarbonate and calcium chloride. In the nourishment field, the proposal introduces acuaponics spaces that mixed hydroponics and animal species harvesting techniques. This practice collaborates in the sustainable use of water and represents an activity for the economic development of the habitat. In the waste management area, Insular Nomad adapts its operations to the international program “Save the Seas” (Royal Caribbean, 1991), in which the organism disposes of specialized equipment and staff to treat the materials. Reusable elements are sent to recycle plants, waste material goes to energy production plants, while hazardous substances are treated in site through the methods of incineration and autoclaves.

In addition, the housing system is made of Nomad Units and Housing Units based in the metabolic principles of adaptability and dynamism. These elements use the “plug-in” concept (Archigram, 1959) to join or leave the organism, giving the whole system the opportunity to grow or develop an individual behavior within its components. Finally, the human development system is built with spaces created for life. Thus, the design of each area encourages the self-realization of the user in education, entertainment, leisure, health and other areas needed to guarantee the development of life in the organism.
 

Technical information

The Island has a capacity of approximately 1000 users. As a design guideline, solar energy capture is given through the entirety of the organism’s skin. Wind uptake occurs in gills designed at the junctions of the folds of the same skin. In them, wind turbines are installed at the points where the aerodynamics of the form provide the highest levels of air flow. In the other hand, the wave system is located on its sides, since the direct contact with the aquatic environment is necessary. In the morphological-structural field, the Island presents an amphibian and lithic conformation. Due to its conceptual origin, the softness of its folds emulates the natural and simple behavior of aquatic animals, while its total volume represents the consolidation of the continental crust. Its structure consists of an active surface of megastructure, where most of its internal supports are clouded in view by means of spatial composition. In the most relevant specific points, sculptural support elements are introduced revealing the cleanliness and subtlety of the internal language. The structure has a high percentage of vacuum below the water level. This phenomenon responds to the creation of air chambers, a circumstance that allows it to float and control the system in the event of leaks. The total organism is inscribed in a space of 365m in length, 140m in width and 40m in height.

In the other hand, the Nomad Units have a capacity of 1 to 4 users. In the energy field, they acquire their main inputs from solar capture through their skin and supply through the Island module. Its structure is based on submarine and yacht prototypes consisting of a double-hull active surface fabric. The inner layer is made up of a steel surface capable of resisting the pressure exerted by the aquatic environment, while the outer layer is made up of an element composed of polymers and metals of the photo voltaic skin. Regarding its morphological aspect, its genesis is based on animal conceptualization where symmetry constitutes an important element for its ability to move in water. Its composition of two wings and a central element dictate its programmatic content, using the center as a vestibular space towards the different areas. Each unit registers a space of 27m in length, 17m in width and 9.15m in height.