7 hr N 51°16’20” 6 hr genesis [4] E 30°13’27” 5 hr the synthesis of man, 4.5 hr environment, and technology 4 hr

3 hr 3 hr This thesis project is exploring the synthesis between man, environment, and technology. I am beginning to ask how I can create an architecture that combines psychology of space and place, re- sponse to the condi ons of the natural environment surrounding, and crea on of technological systems that integrate into the expression of the building language—ul mately becoming a singular organism. I chose to explore this problem through extreme environmental condi ons by placing a botanical research facility in the epicenter of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. 2.5 hr

Humankind, inevitably and irreversibly, endures a paradoxical rela onship to the surrounding environment: we destroy in order to create, and we create in order to destroy. This site was chosen because it is a direct, though accidental, result of our reliance on technology to manipulate the environment. The botanical research center proposes to remediate the radioac ve landscape to allow 2 hr 2 hr for reinhabita on of the land. The program was chosen to be applicable to any radioac ve site, poten ally any toxic waste or post-industrial site as well, allowing the environment to restore itself, although technology is inevitably used to aid this process.

The building is designed to be modular and assembled off site to reduce the impact on the radioac ve soil of the site. All environmental systems are integrated within the closed building environ- ment to avoid exposure to the dangerous condi ons of the surrounding landscape. By default, these life-support systems must then be self-regenera ve to recycle air, water, and nutrients for the inhabitants of the site while research is on-going. UlƟ mately, and ironically, the design manifests itself as our direct reliance on technology, environmental response, and comfortable inhabitaƟ on 1 hr in order to survive in an extreme environment.

15 min 40 sec

2 mSv/yr 20 mSv/yr 100 mSv/yr 350 mSv/life me 10000 mSv/single dose dosage millisieverts typical background current exposure lowest level at criterion for relo- fatal within a few radia on limit for nuclear which any increase ca ng people a er weeks power plant work- in cancer is clearly chernobyl accident ers evident 5 km 7.7 km 16 km 30 km 50 km chernobyl 2 chernobyl belarus border exclusion zone slavutych cold war spy radar main city for which the surrounding context is adjacent country sharing much of the radioac- zone in which people were restricted from en- town constructed for displaced inhabitants of named ve fallout tering a er the explosion except for research chernobyl following the explosion and specially guided tours

Ɵ meline site consequences building | program zones building | environmental systems site versus atomic pre explosion explosion remediaƟ on reinhabitaƟ on power resources general sustenance protecƟ on decontaminaƟ on chernobyl 1986 kiev, ukraine -reactor no. 4 explodes -sarcophagus built to last 20 years food hdvb biodieselbiodiesel (from waste)waste) aeroponicsponics 51°16’20”N 30°13’27”E 3 km producucƟ on producucƟ onon nutrientent recyclingling government pripyat a1 bay - administra on | zone of aliena on city built for the workers of the nuclear power plant complex food produc on occurs in biodiesel, a byproduct of nutrients from waste are food is grown aero- popula on (2010) the area where sunlight the algae growth, is used extracted and recycled for ponically (without soil - total | 0 reactor exposure can be maxi- to power the machines re-use in the food growth or water) by specifi c use mized. and pumps within the system. of nutrient satura on. 2006 module system. less energy and resource the site -new safe confi nement proposed requirements as well as a because original sarcophagus is in smaller chance of disease the history danger of collapse result in a much more ef- aqua c fi cient growing system. as humans have been pursuing progress and civiliza on develops, the needs of humans have changed drama cally requiring more land, ex- trac on of materials, and electricity to drive technology. this has inevitably led to the slow forest destruc on of the natural environment. this is 2011 where chernobyl emerges as a signifi cant pres- -construc on begins on nsc ence. the exis ng -chernobyl genesis project pro- living babayy waterr potableble watewaterr guƩ err emergencygency posed fi ltraƟ on drainageage decontaminantaminaƟ onon the term nuclear is presented as a double- the nuclear explosion le radioac ve residue -exclusion zone becomes europe’s wetland largest nature reserve because of km edged sword. in one sense, it is used to create through the natural and built environment sur- 1 a2 systemm the ul mate weapon of war and destruc on-- rounding the nuclear power plant complex that ul - the lack of human infl uence nuclear power plant complex the other, a reac on to the speed of progess. mately resulted in the establishment of a 30 kilome- epicenter of explosion biome.b inhabita on, living, and water is recycled through water is gravity-fed water is removed from in case of contamina- ar fi cial landscape.c nuclear power was needed for two reasons, ter exclusion zone where no permanent residence exercise programs are the use of a natural water throughout the system. it the building by use of an on containment failure, one as a clean and much less destruc ve form can exist. the landscape is poisoned, ci es are located in this module. fi ltra on system. is in a closed loop with the external gu er system re- a backup system is set of energy as opposed to fossil fuels and the oth- forcefully abandoned, decaying buildings in dan- water recycling system. ducing chance of damage up as a countermeasure er to provide power for an ever-growing and ger of leaking more radia on into the environment grassland life safety module.a and infi ltra on of hazard- to protect the research demanding popula on. there was, however, endure the elements. a shell integrated with reac- ous elements. inhabitants. an unforseen incident that aff ected the natural tor no. 4 to contain radia on is falling apart exist- environment on a global scale through the ex- ing only as an architecture of isola on. equipment plosion of reactor no. 4. this moment became used for cleanup a er the explosion s ll emanates 2015 infamous as the most destruc ve, man-made large amounts of radia on. special radiotrophic -nsc completed and reactor no. 4 incident on the environment in history. the in- black fungi is growing within the reactor walls. hu- is sealed cident also ins lled within the human psyche man error manifests itself through the ‘red forest’ -construc on begins on the cher- a fear and paranoia of the term ‘nuclear’--a incident: a buried forest nearby is the most radioac- nobyl genesis project common percep on that exists even today, 24 ve place on the planet. years a er the 1986 explosion. wind turbines wellnessess babayy photovoltaicsovoltaics hdvb algaealgae air solar panel recyclingling 2020 array geographical features of the exclusion zone -modules in place wind is primarily northern in direc on. a3 -remedia on begins turbines take advantage of the building’s a daily threshold of medi- a solar farm tracks the algae very effi ciently the geographical zone of ‘chernobyl npp 30 km height to gather wind streams. the solar panel array system is centered cal examina on and com- sun’s movement through- recycles carbon dioxide exclusion zone’ is within the kiev poless’e in the over the living module and is angled munity interac on must out the day to maximize allowing for a completely south part of poless’e province. this region is towards the southern sun. it is equipped be passed through to keep solar energy gain. excess closed air system to exist. characterised by gradual slope from west and with sensors to allow the tracking of the a constant check on the energy is stored in a bat- although the air is safe to north-west to the east and south-east. al tude sun’s movement for more effi cient solar inhabitants’ psychological tery system. breathe, no external air is varies from 182m to 103m/ASL. this territory is power gain. as well as physical health. introduced into the system drained by pripyat, uzh, teterev rivers. exten- 2044 as a safety preca on. sive areas of the ‘chnpp 30 km exclusion zone’ -natural process remedia on are bog land. con nues -modules removed and relo- climate is mild-con nental with mild winter and cated to other radioac ve sites as warm summer. the presence of forests, ponds, needed storage tanks reservoirs, bogs and se lements aff ect the lo- cal clima c condi ons. in winter the air tem- perature ranges from -25 to +5 celsius, aver- age - 6c. depth of frozen soil reaches 80 cm and verƟ calal wind turbines the height of snow cover is 16cm. temperature four liquid storage tanks [potable ranges from 17 to 19 celsius during summer. 2063 circulaaƟ on babayy -reinhabita on of surrounding water, water recycling, decontaminate average length of unfreezing period is approxi- area chemicals, biodiesel] sit on the top of the mately 160 days. annual average precipita on a4 -research site preserved as re- building’s mechanical structure allowing is near 500 cm. maining wildlife reserve medical center a.roof for gravity feeding of the liquids into the all ver cal circula on wind is primarily northern system. of people and building in direc on. turbines take nature of relief, maternal rocks, clima c condi- systems is in this zone to advantage of the build- ons and herbage provide territory soil variety. minimize penetra ons ing’s height to gather analysis of prevailing water-glacial sediments through the fl oor systems. wind streams. excess en- are of sandy composi on that are near river this allows more control ergy is stored in a ba ery valleys, sandy grounds are changed by clay and regular health checkups and radia on of the building systems in system. a small reduc on of relief is formed by sandy level monitoring have become rou ne case of emergency proce- loam soils. there are podzol soils (see h in dia- for the inhabitants. the medical lab is dures. gram on right) on the higher grounds between placed as a threshold between the living rivers. quarters and all other programs remind- ing the inhabitants of the unique site condi ons. mechanical rooms lake chernobyl reactor no. 4 supportort | the primary life support systems and ma- radiaƟ oonn decontaminantaminaƟ onon unlike many western reactors (which use the the chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident of 26122 systemsms babayy familiar cooling towers) chernobyl uses a man catastrophic propor ons that occurred on 26 april -plutonium-239 reaches natural chinery, from nutrient and air recycling to barrierer moduleule living units water distribu on, are located here. made lake for cooling. due to procedures used 1986, at the chernobyl nuclear power plant in half-life a5 during the accident at block four the sediment ukraine (then in the ukrainian soviet socialist re- at the bo om of this cooling pond is contami- public, part of the soviet union). it is considered the all mechanical and natu- a thin layer of iron is used the only entry from the nated with radionuclides. worst nuclear power plant accident in history and is ral building systems are to protect systems above ground or biome system the only level 7 event on the interna onal nuclear located in this module to based off of antarc c research sta on from possible radia on into the life safety module event scale. maximize the effi ciency of living compartments, the living quarters trespassing from the con- is through a suspended the building organism | allow the inhabitants a private space to taminated soil below. decontamina on module. served versus servant. escape to. the angled windows allow the building only touches the red forest radiaƟ on views into the landscape, high enough to the module when needed global extents clear the forest canopy, while maintain- to reduce chance of ra- ing a level of privacy from other modules. dia on leak and exposure me. according to reports from soviet scien sts at the ini al evidence that a major release of radio- verƟ cal the fi rst interna onal conference on the biolog- ac ve material was aff ec ng other countries came ical and radiological aspects of the chernobyl not from soviet sources, but from sweden, where transportaƟ on accident [september 1990], fallout levels in on the morning of april 28 workers at the forsmark zone the 10 km zone around the plant were as high nuclear power plant (approximately 680 mi from a.fl .3 as 4.81 GBq/m². the so-called “red forest” of the chernobyl site) were found to have radioac ve all ver cal transporta on including pine trees, previously known as worm wood par cles on their clothes. it was sweden’s search media rooms people, water | air arteries, and materi- forest and located immediately behind the re- for the source of radioac vity, a er they had deter- als are restricted to this module. this actor complex, lay within the 10 km zone and mined there was no leak at the swedish plant, that and computer minimizes ver cal penetra on in other was killed off by heavy radioac ve fallout. the at noon on april 28 led to the fi rst hint of a serious 2.3 million years mitred steel tube connec on welded x-brace connec on to 20” x 14” steel tubes clipped together mainframes zones and allows more control over build- forest is so named because in the days follow- nuclear problem in the western soviet union. -cesium-135 reaches natural -welded 14” x 14” steel tube column for rigid- for easy disassembly upon removal ity from site ing systems in an emergency. ing the disaster the trees appeared to have a half-life inhabitans have access to the outside deep red hue as they died because of extremely world through the communica ons capsule individual heavy radioac ve fallout. in the post-disaster ac ve center as well as entertainment media to psychologygy | quiet cleanup opera ons, a majority of the 4 km² break a monotonous daily rou ne. the public forest was bulldozed and buried. the crew dug module’s computer system controls and program lalayoutyout informal down between 1.5 to 2 meters below ground mainframe data and programming stor- level. inadvertently, burying the forest was one there are four reactors located in the nuclear pow- age are located here. the building is designed of the worst things they could have done. the er plant complex [nppc] with a planned fi h and based off of psychologi- contaminated residue seeped into the ground- sixth. they never made it into frui on because of cal research of isolated, water system, radioac vely charging the site. the 1986 explosion of reactor number 4. extreme capsule environ- the site of the red forest now remains one of community ments [space sta ons, the most contaminated areas in the world. two ci es exist around the nuclear complex. the dining room arc c research labs, southernmost city is chernobyl. the northernmost exercise and biosperes, and aquanaut passive is pripyat, a city built just for the workers of the facili es] to provide for private fi tness room safe, comfortable, and nuclear power complex. formal group communal dining encourages interac on enjoyable inhabita on for noisy residual radioacƟ vity located southwest of the npp complex is the ‘red and discussion between the inhabitants the building occupants. 15.7 million years forest’ known as the most contaminated place on when they would otherwise be working the current local environment voir in ukraine, concentra ons in fi sh were several fi tness is a requirement for a healthy -iodine-129 reaches natural half the planet. located east of the npp complex is a living rou ne especially since the separately during the day. this piece of thousand Bq/kg during the years a er the accident. life program supports a healthier lifestyle for In small “closed” lakes in belarus and the bryansk large manmade lake built exclusively for the use of inhabitants do not have access to any rivers, lakes and reservoirs the npp complex. the purpose of the lake is to pro- other means of exercise. both cardio and the unique condi ons of the site. region of russia, concentra ons in a number of fi sh species varied from 0.1 to 60 kBq/kg during the vide the coolant for the reactor cores. muscle building equipment are available. the chernobyl nuclear power plant is located n inhabitants are able to observe the food next to the pripyat river, which feeds into the period 1990–92. the contamina on of fi sh caused short-term concern in parts of the uk and germany nearby is a graveyard of vehicles and helicopters growth as they exercise. dnipro river reservoir system, one of the largest used to fi ght chernobyl’s fi res. roughly 2,000 radio- surface water systems in europe. the radioac- and in the long term (years rather than months) in the aff ected areas of ukraine, belarus, and russia as ac ve machines are parked here - fi re trucks, am- ve contamina on of aqua c systems there- bulances, armored vehicles, trucks, aircra . fore became a major issue in the immediate well as in parts of scandinavia. a.fl .2 a ermath of the accident. in the most aff ected the river running adjacent to the site is the pripyat research areas of ukraine, levels of radioac vity (par c- groundwater Cs 55 Pu 94 Sr 38 0 km 1 km river. laboritory and 132.90 244 87.62 ularly radioiodine: I-131, radiocaesium: Cs-137 food and radiostron um: Sr-90) in drinking water groundwater was not badly aff ected by the cher- producƟ on biome caused concern during the weeks and months nobyl accident since radionuclides with short half- and growing a er the accident. a er this ini al period, how- lives decayed away long before they could aff ect all research is contained here to allow a ever, radioac vity in rivers and reservoirs was groundwater supplies, and longer-lived radionu- separa on from the living module and to generally below guideline limits for safe drink- clides such as radiocaesium and radiostron um food is grown internally by means of an be er control environmental and experi- ing water. were adsorbed to surface soils before they could aeroponics growth system elimina ng mental condi ons for the plants being transfer to groundwater. however, signifi cant trans- water requirements and plant disease manipulated. bio-accumula on of radioac vity in fi sh result- fers of radionuclides to groundwater have occurred risks. this module is the nose of the ed in concentra ons (both in western europe from waste disposal sites in the 30 km (19 mi) ex- building maximizing the amount of solar cesium plutonium stron um clusion zone around chernobyl. although there is a access for the plants during the day. and in the former soviet union) that in many ver cal aeroponics high density ver cal bioreactor poten al for transfer of radionuclides from these cases were signifi cantly above guideline maxi- growth system -algae cells mum levels for consump on. guideline maxi- disposal sites off -site (i.e. out of the 30 km (19 mi) mum levels for radiocaesium in fi sh vary from exclusion zone), the iaea chernobyl report argues atomic weight 132.90545 atomic weight 244 atomic weight 87.62 country to country but are approximately 1,000 that this is not signifi cant in comparison to current density 1.879 g/cm3 density 19.816 g/cm3 density 2.63 g/cm3 Bq/kg in the european union. In the kiev reser- levels of washout of surface-deposited radioac v- main box frame constructed secondary frame applied prefabricated modules inserted 30’ x 30’ x 30’ boxes are connect- specifi c radioac vity 3.215 TBq/g (tera- ity. and enclosure infi lls structure ed and sealed into one system decontamina- becquerals per gram) plutonium-239 is the primary fi ssile stron um-90 (90Sr) is a radioac ve isotope Ɵ on module isotope of plutonium used for the pro- of stron um, with a half life of 28.8 years. the sarcophogas 2.0 exisƟ ng track construcƟ on module placement biome placement arƟ fi cial ground plane 137 cesium-137 ( 55Cs, Cs-137) is a radioac- duc on of nuclear weapons, although natural stron um is nonradioac ve and new safe confi nement [nsc] pre-construc on stage one stage two stage three fi nal stage ve isotope of cesium which is formed uranium-235 has also been used and is nontoxic, but 90Sr is a radioac vity hazard. communal mainly as a fi ssion product by nuclear fi s- currently the secondary isotope. pluto- together with caesium isotopes 134Cs, 137Cs, the site chosen contains exis ng road infrastruc- barges will carry structure elements to the site. once the track is built, barges will bring the life once the life safety modules are placed and sealed, the fi nal stage of site placement occurs once all of unique to the contaminated site, this 131 a part of the shelter implementa on plan sion. it has a half-life of about 30.1 years, nium-239 is also one of the three main and iodine isotope I it was among the ture that will be used for the placement of the the tracks will be built like a bridge as machines safety modules. modules will be li ed onto the the biome modules are shipped in and constructed the modules are in place and sealed. the raised gathering module acts as the primary entry | funded by the chernobyl shelter fund, the new and decays by beta emission to a meta- isotopes demonstrated usable as fuel in most important isotopes regarding health modules. the zones between the roads will be- alternate driving piles into the ground and con- track and placed one by one. they will be connect- in the same process as the life safety modules. pla orms are extended into the site allowing ac- exit threshold between the landscape, safe confi nement or nsc is designed to contain stable nuclear isomer of barium-137: bar- nuclear reactors, along with uranium-235 impacts a er the chernobyl disaster. come the new ar fi cial landscapes. construc on struc ng the track. ed and sealed on site once in place on the track cess to the interior of the landscape zones. life safety module, and biome. it is a 137m the radioac ve remains of chernobyl unit 4 for chernobyl ium-137m ( Ba, Ba-137m). (about 95 and uranium-233. plutonium-239 has a on the modules will begin once the new safe con- structure separate system minimizing the risk percent of the nuclear decay leads to this half-life of 24,200 years. the next 100 years. it is intended to replace the since the exclusion zone has become fi nement is constructed and reactor no. 4 is sealed. of a contamina on leak into the living isomer. the other 5.0 percent directly pop- present containment structure, also known as the largest nature reserve in europe, the canals will be used to transport materials into environment. ulates the ground state, which is stable.) the use of plutonium-239 in power plants the sarcophagus or object shelter, that was animals, and their musical melodies, the site. occurs without it ever being removed has ly constructed a er a “beyond design-ba- are fl ourishing. inhabitants are allowed radioac ve cesium is not disappearing from the nuclear reactor fuel because it is sis accident” destroyed reactor 4 on april 26, to enjoy this unique condi on, raised in from chernobyl’s environment as quickly fi ssioned in the same fuel rods in which it 1986. it will be the largest movable structure the canopy of the trees, while gathered as predicted. cesium-137’s total ecologi- is produced. ever built on earth. around a fi re pit. a.fl .1 cal half-life--the me for half the cesium the word “confi nement” is used rather than food to disappear from the local environment the tradi onal “containment” with the intent processing through processes such as migra on, to emphasize the diff erence between the “con- and storage weathering, and removal by orgranisms- tainment” of radioac ve gases that is the pri- -is typically 30 years or less. however, sci- mary focus of most reactor containment build- en sts have calculated the ecological half- ings, and the “confi nement” of solid radioac ve food is prepared and preserved here in life to be between 180 and 320 years. waste that is the primary purpose of the new order to sustain the inhabitants for lon- safe confi nement. ger periods of me and for excess food personal growth. workers can only be exposed to the radioac ve gardens condi ons safely for one to two months out of the year. diff erent than the food produc on bay, the power plant will be remotely dismantled this is an area where the scien sts can within the new shell. grow their own favorite fl owers--provid- ing a sense of escape and allowing an expression of individualism.

arƟ fi cial structure is bolted to ‘pile ar fi cial ground plane seat’ for easy removal and ground plane reloca on the shape of the facade elements are based off of the biosphere two project. to minimize disturbing the radioac ve the elements become structural and com- n soil, a system of raised pathways on plate pletely sealable. glass panels alternate founda ons is placed over the soil. these with corten steel panels becoming denser 0’ 30’ can be moved or removed as needed where light is not needed and disintegrat- without disturbing the ground, also mini- ing when light and views are wanted. cor- mizing scien sts’ exposure to radia on. ten steel is used as a me keeping device allowing the inhabitants to understand 0’ 0’ their me on site as the panels age and 30’ a.longitudinal secƟ on 30’ a.1.transverse secƟ on alternate radioacƟ ve disaster sites a.ground pe na.