Project
Reimmersive Cultivation
Year: 2022
Category: Cultural Architecture
Skills: Rhino, Illustrator, V-Ray, Photoshop
Reimmersive Cultivation is the reclaiming of a stretch of land that was once the livelihood of an entire community. The site is located on Douglas Lake in Tennessee, where the Tennessee Valley Authority once flooded communities to build a series of hydropower plants, causing the displacement of thousands of families. The project is a cycling of history and returns to the original purpose of the land the project is embedded into. It is a haven for nomads and migrants seeking refuge from an impending climate emergency. The reclamation of this land is a powerful symbol to new inhabitants that community and stability can be rebuilt and remain steadfast through the use of thoughtful and sustainable design. The project begins with a water research laboratory, and over time begins to populate with refugee cabins along the riverbed. The planned community spans across the length of the three mile site, and through time, over a course of 150 years. The farming and housing infrastructure is designed to take into account the course of time, and slowly unfolds in the form of agrivoltaics, combining farming and a grid of solar panels which provides clean energy and self-sufficiency for the entire stretch of the community. Reimmersive Cultivation is ultimately about returning to the roots of the land, where the original Appalachian inhabitants relied on agriculture as their livelihood, and repopulating the site in a way that both honors those who were displaced and reimagines a healthier way to sustain a community with new methods of farming and energy production. It is meant to invite climate refugees to a haven that will support them through the combined efforts of their new community, so that they may in turn begin to support each other and build connections with their community that will stand the test of time.
150 Year Site plan
The 150 Year Site Plan sets the tone for the project, mapping out in detail the growth and progression of the climate haven. The patchy agricultural landscape parallels the growth of the communities, forming in clusters as waves of migrants begin to populate the site.
Water Laboratory
The waterlab is the nexus of activity on the site for the first 40 years. The lab is designed to leave a minimal footprint on the landscape and connect to the existing roads. Because the water level fluctuates seasonally, the lab's structure is based on a set of stilts that allows the lowest level to sit just above the highest water level in the summer.
Summer Flood
With water levels reaching their highest in June, the lab is uniquely designed to respond to these conditions through its stilted design. Its circulation to each level consists of covered decks on the exterior of the building, allowing researchers a break from the clinical lab environment and exposure to the beautiful land the lab sits on.
Agrivoltaics
One of the most important qualities of the project is that it must be self-sustaining, relying primarily on solar energy. Agrivoltaics is a fairly new system of farming, combining raised solar panels with crops that benefit from partial shade. The panels provide shade and the crops keep the panels cool through evaporation, increasing overall efficiency. This system creates a symbiotic relationship between the energy source and primary food source of the refugee communities, as well as maximizes the use of such a large stretch of land.
Refugee Cabin
The refugee cabins are designed after the tiny home typology, and built from local materials gathered from the site and surrounding areas. They are meant for efficiency and convenience, and allow for a cozy existence in the climate haven. Each cabin has access the solar power grid from the agrivoltaic system through the entirety of the year, reducing the carbon footprint of the entire site.
Anna Haynes
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