September 15, 2009

Recycling Architecture

Financial and safety concerns aside this is an applaudable example of local architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello putting the 3 R's into practice. They propose to repurpose the Bay Bridge's old infrastructure into sustainable low-cost urban housing. The Bay Line to be added to the eclectic list of SF neighborhoods.



Why I like their proposal
Overpopulation and the food crisis are two of the biggest challenges ahead. In both of those challenges LAND will play a preeminent role. The recycling of architecture provides with possibility—think of the tons cement awaiting demolition in the US today—and at the same time puts a break on the continuous invasion of the land and endangerment of animal and plant life. While we cannot undone the damage caused by decades of industrialization we can aim to maintain the balance of our ecosystems. We are recycling just about everything else these days and if we can figure out how to safely recycle infrastructure and reuse land we could be taking great steps to solve some of the challenges laying ahead of us.

A little bit Sci-Fi. A lot of cool. Personally I would still rather live on the firm land...


Read the BAY LINE project proposal here.