The study looks at the area between Waterloo and Tower Bridge, a 3km stretch of the River Thames. The calculations are based on of each one of the floating structures (barges etc) that currently populate the river being converted to food production.

This weekend is going to be spent exploring structural solutions to my proposal through origami. I will explain the reasons for this more on Monday, but, in the mean time here is quite a provoking video I came across recently……..

Rigid Origami from Daniel Piker on Vimeo.

Below are a few images from a 1:500model which I used to explore the structural constraints of the site. Following the notion of only using the existing piers to ground my proposal, I explored the geometry which was set up by these existing piers, whilst baring in mind the initial thoughts I have had on mass and programme. The main principles were to span between each pier whilst maintaining access beneath for passing traffic. Therefore, there is the inevitable contraction of geometry around the mid point of each span and the heightening of geometry above each pier. This  may turn out to be no more than a little exercise, but at least I have another model to photograph and the uni’s laser worked!

After the crit on Monday, I have decided to refine the programme. I believe the proposal should revolve around the idea of a service station for allotments- which would predominantly be floating but could also help to provide materials, seeds etc to one of the many traditional allotments in the borough of Southwark. The reason for this is to ensure the programme informs the architecture, rather than the contrary. The programme is extremely unusual, along with the choice of site and I believe that it is this aspect of the thesis which should  be as visible as possible when viewing the project at later dates. This process of refinement has led me to believe that I should trim out aspects such as auditoria, meeting rooms, libraries etc and concentrate on the functional requirements of a service station. Offices, storage (for materials which are later sold to the public) and the market are the aspects which I intend to keep, with cranes and robotic arms spanning between the existing piers tending to the barges below.

I have started to calculate the potential ‘growing power’ of the barges, which I will comment more on at a later date, but initial calculations suggest that the area between Tower Bridge and Waterloo (a 3km stetch of the Thames) could serve upto 836 people. This is based on the fact that there are currently 55 barges occupying this stretch of water, covering 33,000m2. A traditional allotment of 250m2 during the Second World War was estimated at providing enough fresh vegetables to cater for the annual needs of 6 people. These calculations do not take into consideration the fact that that farming hydroponically on the barges could increase this figure. If London’s average population density of 4,800 ppl/km2 is applied to this data, then, if only the EXISTING barges are devoted to food production then this area of the Thames could cater for 34% of the population. There is the potential for this figure to increase if additional structures are proposd.

Green spaces in London- Including back-gardens, parks and waterways. All of which, if utilized, could help to increase the amount of food we produce in the capital.

a couple of night time shots from yesterday evening….