Vertical farm Silo_Beirut

Project idea

I based my concept on the fact that the only way to save the Silo is to repurpose it in a way that respects the history, whilst reflects the future for the city. I also discovered that Beirut as such deep history that it has been reboult multiple times during centuires. This sort of layered city was the base idea of layering the masterplan and the urban context on top of a demolised building as a sort of new soil where citizens can thrive again. Moreover, the masterplan tries to reattach the port area to the city, by applying a green urban layer which provides free access to the citizens.
The concept with the public spaces was to be able to use them throughout the day, so the landscape design uses a lot of trees which provide shade during the day thus lowering the temperature of the surfaces around.

Project description

The centrepiece is the silo with the explosion site as the focusing landmark. The crater in the port would remain intact and the landscape design would follow it with increasing steps towards the Silo which resemble the shockwave travelling towards the city centre.

Around the silo, the green layer lifts up to reveal the added spaces to the remaining cylinders and to provide access to the site from the western side of the area.

Underneath the lifted green carpet, the façade is semi-transparent glass, in order to put emphasis on the transparency of the new operation.

Function_Food research centre

Aeroponics: This new method of farming promises to save the food supply for areas where rain is hard to come by, and where space is very limited. It can produce fresh food for the cities, with very high efficiency and low water usage. It does require a high level of technological infrastructure, which needs a lot of development for the future of farming. The design proposes a vertical farming research centre in the building, with semi-public and public functions.

The design of the tubes makes the movement of the grooving plants automatic, whilst being optimized for the floorplan. Each cylinder can house a different plant grooving environment.

Needless to say, it will not be an instant replacement for the old silo in terms of capacity, but rather it is an investment into the future which can help Lebanon gain independence from other countries’ food supply.

Perforations

The perforation on the southern side has been designed in a pattern that reflects the flying particles penetrating through the silo during the explosion.

Memorial

The explosion tore a hole into the heart of the nation. Representing the void the tragedy left behind, a half-destroyed cylinder will become a public memorial place as a reminder for the future generations.

Technical information

After asessing the available data, i propose a structural design concet to save the silos by reinforcing them. This would be done by concrete inner core, and with the less destroyed part it would consist of a metal structure that would also support the vertical farm.

Documentation

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