JOURNEY IN NATURE_ The coral insitute

Chungbuk National University

Project idea

An offshore platform in the middle of the ocean looks like a rusted, corroded, and dying organism. The corroded iron also makes it unsightly and unpleasant for the environment.
With proper human intervention, we dreamed that after a certain point, the organisms would take care of themselves and the platform would become an ecosystem.

Project description

1. The existing upper part of the platform houses facilities for studying corals and organisms, while the lower part of the platform creates a diverse environment for corals and small and medium-sized fish to live. A half-submerged circular ring of ocean and sea is formed as a place for scientists to monitor corals and a place for visitors to experience the ocean. The ring connects the seafloor to the ocean surface and is connected to the N-1 level by a circular slope. The circular ring also serves as a coral nursery near the jacket.
This ring, which connects the platform above the sea surface to the seafloor, allows visitors to experience the ocean from a variety of locations and perspectives. Whether they enter the water directly at the dive center or through the museum, experiencing corals spreading like flowers and fish peeking through crevices, they are surrounded by the greatness and comfort of nature.
A breathable and variable sail regulates the amount of sunlight the corals receive, preventing sudden temperature changes. At the same time, it creates an exhibition space that captures the calm light reflecting off the water. This sail-enclosed platform moderates the scorching sunlight in the middle of the ocean, providing a comfortable space for visitors as well as the creatures in their natural environment. Connected by bamboo supports and hemp fabric, the sails are an eco-friendly material that minimizes the impact on coral and vegetation, and can be partially dismantled for easy replacement. These variable sails can be anchored to some structure, even on dismantled platforms, to create random shade to create a hospitable environment for corals.
To create an environment for corals and plants, we chose the eco-friendly material cork, which is breathable, biodegradable, and buoyant, making it ideal for use on the shoreline. We use cork to build a pot for coral on the seafloor and a pot for plants above the surface. Together, these pots create a giant coral farm on the seafloor and vegetation on the platform, which is partially recessed into the existing wall to create an environment for vegetation to grow.
Finally, the truss structure of the platform is utilized to support the wind turbine and some solar panels on the circular ring to obtain some of the required energy.
This creates an environment for corals and other sea creatures below the surface of the ocean, and plants above the surface, which are self-sustaining and transform the platform from an eyesore into a vibrant environment. The abandoned platform forms an ecosystem, and visitors will experience the beauty of nature like never before, making them realize the importance of nature.

2. The first renovation plan is to create a forward base for coral research, and the second is to build a base camp on land where the platforms in the middle of the ocean can be managed and full-scale research can be conducted.
The second, third, fourth, and fifth floors are divided into research facilities and researcher living quarters, while the first floor is used as an exhibition and performance preparation room, which is ancillary to the central multipurpose hall, where archiving of various corals is carried out and where people can experience the research indirectly.
Solar panels are built into the ceiling to minimize the energy used in the lab and to power the boat.
A large circular window in the ceiling brings sunlight into the room and illuminates the multipurpose hall inside. People can experience the interior and exterior in a loop as they descend through the circular ceiling and a series of ramps to the basement. re like never before, making them realize the importance of nature.

Technical information

1. The renovation of the platform is made of eco-friendly material like corks, ham fabricks, bamboos and concretes.
2. The construction of the Main coral insitute is made of local locks and concretes.