The 'Growth' - Part 1 : A speculation and the Nucleus & Part 2 : The 'Growth' phenomenon

MARA University of Technology (UiTM), Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, Department of Architecture, Shah Alam, Selangor, Sri Iskandar, Perak

Project idea

A speculative design of a homeless shelter that could solve the homeless situation in cities while reducing the rate of carbon dioxide pollution in city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Currently, more than half of the world's population lives in cities and the urban population is expected to double by 2050. Intense urbanization has led us to rethink human socio-economic development on a global scale with particular emphasis on the relationship between human beings and the environment. Cities today at the forefront in both feelings the effects and fighting to offset the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change.

Cities are the biggest carbon dioxide emitters globally, therefore it is necessary to redesign their infrastructure, rethink consumption patterns and circularity. The question pose here, is there a way to convert what they now expel, as waste or pollution, into raw material as new processes and production of a new materials that benefits to the people and the environment.

In the current state of the world, a sudden increase in the population of human in the cities leads to overpopulation and emergence of homeless people. These issues comes from variety of different reasons.

The proposing project are trying to tackle these urban context issues, the overpopulation of the homeless and the emission of carbon dioxide into the environments.

A 'Nucleus' that starts the mutualistic relationship of nature and man.

Project description

The 'Growth' project - organism that could mutate and decay, a living architecture of sort.

Part 1 - The speculation & the 'nucleus' :
A speculative design of a homeless shelter that focused in trying to solve the unemployment issue of the homeless people in city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The 'nucleus'(homeless shelter) is an experimental building that act as the catalyst that starts the recovery of the homeless.

The 'nucleus' also symbolizes an organism that trying to grow along side homeless people, improving their life, evolving mutually. The organism also provides shelter and opportunity for the homeless residence to get into a selection process to be employed through the 'market of labor'.

Part 2 - The 'Growth' Phenomenon :
The adaptation of fungi evolution, the mycelium fungi are substituting the façade external layer of the 'Nucleus' hence why the shelter is considered as an organism. In the second part, the project focuses on the expansion the living architecture concept. The idea is to have the mycelium covered 'nucleus' to grow beyond normal rate and the whole city slowly covered and engulfed by the mycelium fungi, the introduction of grid structure all over the city as a guide and support to control and direct the growth of the mycelium. In theory, the mycelium will naturally create spaces for the other homeless people out there in the busy city. The mycelium covered 'nucleus' saved the homeless people and the city from pollution. A complete 'growth' phenomenon.

Technical information

The highlight of the 'Growth' project is the mycelium fungi. Mycelium is the roots of mushrooms. It has remarkable properties that have evolved millions of years before us. These new discovery of bio-technology of the mycelium allow us to build bridges between nature and technology.

Mycelium can grow very quickly and acts as a binding agent at any given substrates. It is also considered very light weight and durable material. the fungi able to withstand fire, hot and cold climate conditions with amazing adaptability.

The other main components of the construction is the space frame structure that makes up the whole form of the building, and the mycelium blocks are resting as external façade panels with a very natural finish.

Documentation

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