Take the trash out. Where exactly is out?

We are in a time where the problem of waste is looming large. The magnitude of this issue still ambiguous to a large part of the population. Waste can be regarded as a human concept as there appears to be no such thing as waste in nature. Then comes the introduction of us humans into this perfect cycle. The presence of waste is an indication of over consumption and inefficient use of material, thereby reducing the Earth’s capacity to supply new raw materials in the future. Valuable resources in the form of matter and energy are lost during waste disposal, requiring that a greater burden be placed on ecosystems to provide these. The main problem is the sheer volume of waste being produced and how we deal with it.

We wish to target developed countries whose waste is mostly shipped to underdeveloped countries or landfills. Our project is a floating machine that recycles the daily waste of a region and checks the surrounding landfills and water bodies to produce fewer but efficient products which are sent back to the market. The cycle continues for 5 years and a secondary permanent structure will be created to deal with the waste in that region in the future. The mother unit moves to various parts on the coast.  

  Movement of material is a crucial aspect in the factory. We were inspired by the 2d intersection of railway lines and 3d connectivity seen in coral polyps. The core, is inspired by the cross section of a coral polyp which has pockets of spaces that have been interpreted as our research cells Our factory is a one day machine.  

Material entry & matter exit happens within 24 hours. Waste enters our factory via trucks & submarines & follows a linear path through recycling via pipes which start twisting to enable crossings for the placement of material research, design & prototyping cells. This creates exhibition spaces below. Quality checking, warehouse spaces and a shop have also been integrated. The waste that cannot be recycled is sent to the energy generator To induce a sense of consciousness and awareness to the visitors, we have created a path that mimics that of the waste dotted with information centres. An information bridge at the centre of the factory is a projection of the waste that entered the factory & the energy produced for the day.  

Link to the project video