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Bionic Terrain

Part 2 Project 2011
Adam Hills
University of Brighton | UK
This proposition suggests a progressive architectural response to the contentious aspects of urban regeneration within Brixton. Through associated investments, spaces are 'cleaned up' whilst local crime and unemployment rates improve. Concurrently, gentrification realises Brixton's high-end residential potential creating a market for generic multinational firms and developers. Rent gaps react to this middle class migration and social displacement continues to dilute Brixton's characteristics. Slowly but surely Brixton's identity is dissolving into the familiar zone 2 suburb.

If left unchallenged, the nature of our capitalist economy will continue dispatching its generic business plan architecture throughout the suburbs of London. Henceforth, if Brixton is to retain its identity whilst improving its economy this process must be controlled in a way that harmonises these opposing forces retaining a balance that simultaneously promotes both urban identity and spatial investment. But how might architecture embody this balance?

Rejecting the homogeneous language of commercial suburbia a bionic terrain breaks through the barren landscape to ferment and distil market waste, wheat and barley producing bio-degradable and structural plastics, Battersea bound Bio-ethanol, whiskies and wines, fertiliser for a local windmill and bio-cosmetic products for direct retail. Offering a radical solution to an inherent social issue the architecture engages past conditions with future infrastructural proposals forging an urban scale investment based on the identity of Brixton.


Tutor(s)
Andre Viljoen
2011
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