Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant (NY), a case study for nuclear adaptive reuse

“ Power plants have a number of qualities that make them ideal for redevelopment. The design style of older power plants makes them attractive for reuse from an aesthetic or historical perspective. They were constructed with large turbine generator halls mainly because they were steam cycle based, which required large buildings. These large spaces present opportunities for a variety of reuse options. The large open spaces make old power plants ideal for conversion into museums and exhibit halls, but the options should not be limited to museums and heritage facilities.” (IAEA, Redevelopment and reuse of nuclear facilities and sites: case histories and lessons learned, 2011, p.24) 

PDM_Nuclear power and the City_Theoritical Master Thesis

Dans les prochaines décennies, un grand nombre de centrales nucléaires atteindront leur fin de vie programmée et exigeront un démantèlement. Plusieurs d’entre elles seront démantelées selon plusieurs options: soit pour les remplacer par de nouvelles infrastructures ayant la même fonction, soit pour rendre leur terre à la nature, soit pour réutiliser ce lieu suivant un nouvel usage. En reconnaissant et valorisant le potentiel de reconversion de ces infrastructures, il sera possible, dans un futur proche et dans une perspective durable, de réaménager des espaces intéressants pour la périphérie de nos villes. Ce processus de « recyclage » aboutira à la réduction des dépenses de démantèlement et des impacts socioéconomiques sur la population locale. Elle conduira entre autres à une meilleure utilisation des matériaux, des terres et des ressources humaines, tout en développant une nouvelle relation entre la ville et cet objet fascinant, la centrale nucléaire.

Nuclear City, PDM 11 "where are you?"

« Power plants have solid structures and are usually situated along lakes and/or rivers or have large sources of water available. The buildings have large floor space and height, making them ideal for reuse options such as museums, aquariums, restaurants, offices, hotels, libraries, science and technology centres, arts centres, industrial manufacturing facilities and stations for public transportation systems. Any number of these options may be combined. […] Redevelopment and reuse options influence the decommissioning endpoints, especially for museums or heritage facilities. In industrial museums, most of the equipment (e.g. power generators, control systems) are to be kept in the original state, and decommissioning includes cleanup actions and restoration options, but not necessarily the dismantling and demolishing of equipment and parts of buildings. The architectural scale and open spaces of former power plants are well suited for use as museums. » (IAEA, Redevelopment and reuse of nuclear facilities and sites: case histories and lessons learned, 2011, p.29)

Nuclear City, PDM 11 "coming soon"

«As a nuclear power - as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon - the United States has a moral responsibility to act.»

Barack Obama

The energy is certainly one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Nuclear power has long been an energetic response to this dilemma. In fact, this is a way to create energy without CO2 excess emission by maintaining a good performance. However, since the nuclear accident in Fukushima, the atom is in question. Several countries around the world, like Switzerland and Germany have begun some programs to dismantle nuclear facilities.

Dismantling a nuclear plant is in most cases total: it disappears as quickly as it appeared. In retrospect, what were the consequences of urban, social, political and territorial settlement of the nuclear infrastructure? Then, considering that zero risk does not exist. What will become the standards for implementation and security? Is there not an alternative than to destroy them? Can we possibly imagine their conversion through others programs?

Portfolio Update / 2011 edition

clik-clak stool

This is a booklet presenting the fabrication issue of the stool “clik-clak”made

out of 2mm thick of alluminium . The stool was cutted using a waterjet machine and folded by hand. It was then painted using the most simple industrial process.

Drama school for immigrants, Athens

Trough the history, Drama has always been extremely important in Greece. The city of Athens created the theatre in the 5th century B.C. to promote its culture. This invention was not only cultural but also architectural, thus creating a new typology.

Recently, Greece, and Athens in particular, have been facing economical crisis and problems linked to immigration. The neighborhood of Kerameikos and Metaxourgeio in the center of Athens are one of the most affected places by the arrival of new immigrants. More than 50% of immigrants are illiterate or have only attended primary school.

A drama school would be appropriate because it is a good way to learn a language. The educational goal would be to make interaction and communication between children easier by «learning by doing». In other words moving language study out of the classroom context would make language learning more enjoyable. The school would be run by both the National Theatre of Greece and the Ministry of Education and subsidized by private funds. Different teaching classes will take place during the day and the evening.

The site is at the crossroads of Iera Odos and Piraeus, where various cultural activities are located.The archeological site of the cemetery of Kerameikos is just in front of it which allows a direct view on the Acropolis. The plot involves two abandoned neoclassical buildings, which is frequent in Kerameikos.

The program consists of classrooms, an administration with reception and a main flexible theatre of 160 seats. The theatre can have multiple configuration of stage according the play...

EPFL gateway "Lighthouse"

“It's the first impression and will either open the door or close it.”

Nicholas Sparks, Author

It often said that one should not judge a book by its cover, but none-the less publishers and book designers go to great lengths to ensure that the covers of books are representative of the intentions of the author, and attractive enough to entice readers into the book.

A gateway, the first architectural impression of a place, city, castle or home is a significant and representative marker for the inhabitants. The gate gives the first impression of the place, and sets an expectation for the visit. But the gate is not only representative, a gateway should be an icon both of the place, but also of the “entry condition”. It should clearly communicate the message “ENTRANCE” and it is the first word in the “discussion” on way-finding or directions for further progression through the place.

Athens: city of immigrants, architecture of integration

This is the devellopment of the urban constituion for Athens (UCA). The urban project was developed in three differents phases:

1 - case study of similar cities : Barcelona

2 - urban strategy of organisation in Athens

3 - urban constitution for kerameikos, metaxougeio, gazi and rouf in Athens

Military airport "An Officer and a Gentlemen", agps architecture, open competition, 1st prize

This is my first competition that I won with agps.architecture (Angelil, Graham, Pfenniger, Scholl, Oester) in Zürich. The goal of the competition was to develop the new main military air base of Switzerland. In fact, more than 50% of the Swiss Military Aviations will be in Payerne.

L'idée architectonique provient de la division du programme en deux unités séparées : le complexe des opérations et la dite « boardinghouse ». Ces deux univers différents se laissent, tout en correspondant à leur fonction, se mettre en scène de façon urbanistique ainsi que architecturale.

LS "Soccer Bunker" Stadium

Architecture begins with the need of finding the right answer to a given context.

The difficulty is to ponder with an open mind. Connecting a programme with a place and a history requires accepting that each context can give this gathering point...

RDJ contemporary art center

Architecture is often an indicator of the social, religious and economic elvolution of a country. The project develops public and cultural facilities where there is a lack of comtemporary architecture.The approach of the project depends

on rule/exception, fusion/singularity and lightness/density...

ecal_industrial design projects_part2

The projects were done at the University of Art in Lausanne (ECAL) during my sesond year of bachelor at the EPFL. Differents design ideas were pushed forward until the mock-up.

_TTT

Ikea is the most popular mall for furniture in the world. In fact it is probably one of the malls where "industrial design" really takes its full meaning.

The project is to "pimp" a basic stool from Ikea. The aim is to add a new device to make the stool more personal and original.

It is a minimal intervention which offers extra comfort to the stool. In fact, the device added to the foot steadies the stool on an uneven loor.

_reel-lamp

This project is based on the development of a standard poly-propylene sheet into a lamp. "Less is more",with fewer means and simplicity, the project uses this really good material to diffuse light.

The concept is inspired by the reel: polypropylene strips are winded around a bulb. The shape develops by itself when the hole of the band is put into the cap. The fact is that this system allows the user to personalize his lamp.

_hang-over

Urban chaos, a mountain case

How does a mountains village where 80% of its expansion took place in the last 40 years develop?

Verbier is a ski resort in the Swiss Alps. It is located on a southward terrace. All the urbanisation relies on foreign investors who wanted to build a lot of houses quickly in order to make a lot of money. In fact the urban plan seems to be chaotic and only ruled by money.

The analysis of this particular type of urbanism deals with its limits and the way to stop this tissue of chalet-style buildings. There are many factors which limit the expansion, the most important of which is nature: thepresence of ravines, the danger of avalanche...