The Algae Connection: Uniting Communities Through Algae
About my project: We are facing a humanitarian crisis: food is scarce and the cost of living is higher than ever. With the rise of commercialization, the surrounding community began dissipating, losing the once thriving community and flourishing landscapes that Bradford once had. As such, my building aims to be a community center that reunites, expands, empowers, and sustainably develops the surrounding community through the production and consumption of algae products. As a result, a symbiotic relationship is formed: Nature can re-emerge from the pre-existing industrial wastelands, and humans can benefit from its produce. A full-circle programmatic was also developed to ensure this relationship endures: Algae is sustainably harvested from the river for food and energy, the leftover water from production is recycled for allotments, and harvested crops are used with algae products for human consumption.
About me: While the sustainability aspect of SKN initially intrigued me to join this atelier and is something I'm still passionate about, it was the concepts of inclusivity that became my most notable takeaway from this course: something I'd love to delve deeper into in my architectural career. SKN calls us to provide a voice for the voiceless; a voice for those we have nothing in common with. Algae are often labeled as a nuisance to society. The act of reintroducing this plant as something humans can fully and sustainability depend on while also allowing it to thrive has completely flipped its script. By scrapping our preconceived biases towards all users -- both human and non-human -- and humbling ourselves into the positions of the unknown and underrepresented, I hope to create spaces that allow them to feel at home, thrive, and reveal their potential: A space that allows for as many to shine and for them to shine a light back into our world.
