(TRASH)FORMATION

An investigation of how waste and discarded materials hold potential from a practical and phenomenological stand point

(Trash)formation is based in the city of Antofagasta located in northern Chile. The city is divided along social demographic lines and is also heavily polluted by trash contaminating the land and water surrounding the city. The project investigates if trash can become a resource and a catalyst for social cohesion across demographics in Antofagasta.

The architecture manifests itself in the form of FabLab Pavilions which are free to use by any citizen of the city. The purpose of the FabLabs is to encourage education, research and practical use of recycled materials with the overarching goal to create collaborations and learning across demographics to breakdown social prejudges. The Pavilions themselves are located in a new playful industrial public park in the city centre creating an oasis in the desert for all to enjoy. 

The project was designed from two scales the first being shown is the masterplan level, where the project strategies were implemented at a large scale to be integrated into the city. On the smaller scale one of the pavilions within the mater plan (The Plastic Pavilion) was designed in detail to explore how users interact with and experience the space on a human level. 

BACKGROUND RESEARCH

THE MASTERPLAN

THE PLASTIC PAVILION 

THE PLASTIC PAVILION EXPERIENCE 

(TRASH)FORMATION PROTOTYPE