Site as Thesis

The creation of site is a worldwide phenomenon. This practice is generally utilized for several reasons ranging from the programmatic to the experimental and in scale from a personal oasis to an entire city. These projects generally take the form of artificial islands, locked into a location, permanently affecting the surrounding ecology either as a massive disruption or even through immediate extermination. So what is the answer as these become more affordable, and recently more enticing? The ability to shape the terrain at will has had the Persian Gulf entertained for the present. However, in the near future they may prove commonplace throughout East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Rim. This will eventually prove a logical alternative where Asian countries face overpopulation, congestion, and land shortages in and around their current urban centers. Their waterways and coastal regions, current under stress, are likely in for a real shock when this transitions occurs.

Ecological disruption and polluted waterways, side effects of artificial land formation and establishment, will alter a very vital food source, especially for this geographic location as they rely heavily on the sea for their diet (30% of protein in their diet is a result of fish consumption). As water quality drops and ecologies are disrupted, this reliance may prove a larger issue than a land shortage.


Autonomous algae-laden cleaners shoal the boundaries of these artificial environments, cleansing the waters to promote an abundance of sea life and help assure that this does not occur. These capsules use existing currents, aided with a minor propulsion system, to school in massive clean-up efforts. The algae (such as Gracilaria lemaneiformis) is monitored and the capsule adjusts the depth according to the health and abundance of algal growth. As more light penetrates the capsule the algae regenerates its mass. As the mass becomes increasingly plentiful it travels deeper, letting the lack of photosynthetic activity reinstate an appropriate volume within the transparent shell. These units continue to evaluate water conditions and send live feedback to water monitoring centers located on the artificial landforms.