Formalising 45
The year is 2045, climate change has surpassed its tipping point and ravished the world leaving large expanses of land next to the equator uninhabitable. This has caused 3 billion people to become displaced. Manchester, as one of the few cities not experiencing the debilitating effects of climate change and seeking redemption for falling short of its 2038 climate goals, welcomes refugees to the city.
Due to the sheer number of people and resource shortages, informal settlements begin to appear as traditional mass construction is not a viable solution. The delicate balance between environmental resilience and providing solutions to the consequences of overpopulation shapes the destiny of Manchester.
Our project (as a group of 2) called Formalising 45 offers an innovative approach to address these challenges by utilising computational methods to shape the urban layouts of settlements. Drawing on insights from resilience theory, the aim was to understand the complexities of these issues and identify tipping points. Our goal was to intervene proactively before informal housing settlements reach a critical stage, mitigating associated problems and fostering sustainable urban growth. Through the application of these methods, we were able to create a significant amount of residential space whilst retaining areas of public domain, providing substantial amenity provision, and forming accessible pathways across the site, cultivating a connected, vibrant community.
