Regenerative Wetland
Within the Panamá City, nestled in the south of the San Francisco Corregimiento is a cultural enclave called Boca La Caja. It is a microcosm of informality within a densified quasi-suburban landscape that has resisted change since it was first formed in 1940. Over the years the surrounding areas, specifically to the east and west of the settlement have become rapidly developed as high rise residential and commercial towers have occupied increasingly more space in the city, creating a juxtaposing patchwork urban landscape of space designed, versus space inhabited. Like many other informal settlements that punctuate the city, Boca La Caja has become a latently occupied area that resists further development due to the comradery of residents who understand the value of their land and want to preserve their space within the urban fabric of the city The Boca La Caja Lagoon is currently used by fishermen to dock their boats after a long day of fishing in the Panamá Bay. This tidal quagmire fills and falls within a 24-hour cycle, neglected due to the precarious nature of the site’s existing conditions. The project is situated within a formerly largely uninhabited space, juxtaposed by the existing urban fabric of Boca La Caja, typical of most informal settlements. In here children jump off the highway at high tide, and residents use sewage pipes for wayfinding. In its current state, it is an indefinable, sodden field and an undervalued landscape teeming with potential for human-driven design and programme that configures itself within perpetually urbanized conditions. Through various routes of research and variable design methodologies, the resulting project aims to creates a new landscape with values extrapolated from designing within an informal vernacular and inspired by shipping vessels floating through the tangential waters surrounding Panamá. Seven Vessels compose the scheme, each unique in identity, serve as flexible civic programme for fishermen and residents. These vessels are designed flexibly within an infrastructural scheme to allow for prospective additions to grow organically from the needs of the residents, as they continue to face adversity within a rapidly urbanized landscape. The wetscape, therefore, allows for design that incorporates natural water filtration using saltwater reeds, and an incremental response to flooding. This project, therefore, seeks to design flexibly and organically to create an ecosystem that can continue to regenerate the landscape, economy, and lives of residents.
At a city scale, a large shipping boat is hardly at a comparable scale to the vastness of Panamá City.
The metaphorical analogy between Boca La Caja and a shipping boat is one that notices the comparable scale and compactness of the two, but addresses that one is more compact, and lacks in human facilitations and the other is tightly packed, but thrives due to the endurance of humans and their ability to grow within an urban environment.
The vessels can be accessed and are connected by various walkways and operable drawbridges. One can access these spaces directly from the settlement or walk through the lagoon via the outstretched walkway from the West. This allows the users to experience certain spaces at various levels. The compositions of these vessels are practical in programme, but also designed to direct one around the site, as well as provide shelter and shade from the extreme Panamanian weather.
Ultimately the design became a composition inspired by the concept of ships floating within a body of water. The project was split into seven vessels of programme, each with their own unique identity, but similar tectonic approaches. These vessels, while they all have a similar material identity, are detailed depending on their usage. These vessels are situated within this section of the lagoon and are connected via an elevated walkway that connects the building from the West side of the Lagoon to the East and at multiple levels of the building creating access to all points within the site.
The water filtration system (the one that requires heavy machinery for desalination and reverse osmosis processes) is relocated to the Industrias Panamá Boston factory, which to this day is still the biggest unsolved mystery of this project. For the purposes of this speculation, though, we can assume it shall no longer be used to pollute the water of the settlement, and instead filter it. Water is primarily treated naturally before being pumped to the factory to then be dispersed out into the settlement to smaller urban nodes for fresh water accessibility.
The project is designed at ground level as a structural base, raised approximately 150cm above the ground, allowing the base structure to be compatible with the rising tide levels. When the tide is low, users of the building are able to use the permanent structure such as the cast stairs at the edges of the module rows and the walkway above the filtering ponds at the south edge of the site. Fishing boats and reeds permeate the site and when the tide is low, fishermen (and others if they choose), can walk along the ground.
Primary public facilities are found at this level. Designed as relatively open spaces, some programme such as the Basin and the Receptacle are permeable, inviting users to come meander the space and allow for ample interaction with the salespeople. The ground floor of the Capsule is a flexible space, using some details from semester 3, to create an undefined public space that can be used to conduct meetings, put on shows, etc. At this level there are also various storage compartments that can be used by users of any nature to store and protect possessions, goods, and furniture.
At the second level of the scheme, one is led up and through the elevated walkway. This creates a slow space for users of the building and leads them through the site, eventually ending (or starting) at the Observatory, as the stairs lading up to it can be accessed from this level.
The row of filtering chambers exist not only as a form of tourism, but as a method for natural filtration that accompanies the reeds in the natural filtration scheme and route. At the western edge of these is a fish chamber which uses the semi-filtered water from the reeds in order to cultivate algae and other plants in the filtration chambers to provide a natural cleaning, before the water is pumped out to the water filtration system.
Aquaponics is a food production system that couples aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish, crayfish, snails or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) whereby the nutrient-rich aquaculture water is fed to hydroponically grown plants. The two chambers linked to the markets are designed congruently with each other to cultivate fresh produce and fish allowing for a more productive and sustainable method of food production and water filtration. There is also a step down from the market platforms so that users can access these chambers, providing a level of interactivity while stimulating economic growth.
A rendering showing integration of water and natural landscape with the built environment. People walking through the site using the elevated walkway.
A diagrammatic look in between the two market vessels (the Receptacle and the Basin) to show the relationship between the buildings and reeds as well as the interaction between reeds and drawbridges connecting the two vessels.
Since each vessel has its own identity and structure, the following images are intended to explain the thought process behind each and how together they compose the scheme.
A standalone structure, the Observatory has one intended purpose: to be an observatory. Allowing the fishermen to walk up the spiralling staircase and look out to the bay to assess the day’s conditions, before setting off to fish. This tower can also be used by visitors wanting a different vantage point of the way beyond the Corridor Sur.
1. Eastern Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
2. Accompanying light wooden frame
3. Southern Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
4. Accompanying light wooden frame
5. Corrugated Metal Cap
6. Accompanying light wooden frame
7. Polycarbonate Curtain Panels
8. Light wooden framing for Western Portion of Corrugated Metal Shell
9. Western Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
10. Light wooden framing for Northern Portion of Corrugated Metal Shell
11. Southern Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
12. Vertical Structural Members supporting shell, stairs, elevated walkway and observatory
Walkway on top to move through the site, while being protected from the elements, and fishermen storage on the bottom. This storage can be accessed from the elevated walkway above the filtration chambers, for easy access. The metal shell of this and all other vessels are designed to deflect water into the chambers and away from the building.
1. Southern Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
2. Accompanying light wooden frame
3. Corrugated Metal Cap
4. Elevated Walkway framing lined with Polycarbonate Curtain Panels
5. Storage Compartment
6. Structural Framing for Northern Corrugated Metal Portion of Shell and Storage Compartment
7. Northern Portion of Angled Corrugated Metal Shell
8. Angled Framing Element supporting shell
9. Framing for Storage Compartment and operable doors of Corrugated Metal Shell
10. Vertical Structural Member
11. Corrugated Metal Cap Support
The Boat repair is one of two vessels that interacts with the untempered ground. Since boats that need repair will be coming in from the dock or the tunnels, this vessel needed to remain unelevated. In essence, it serves as a shell to protect the boats from any extreme weather, but is also integrated with the elevated walkway created a conjoined experience of walking above and through the buildings.
1. Built-in Storage Unit
2. Wooden Structural Frame
3. Elevated Walkway - Supported by vertical columns and a horizontal wooden beam
4. Roof Battens and typ. angled roof framing
5. Corrugated Metal Roof Shell
Public toilets and showers that service the fishermen and users of the lagoon. This feels like it needs no further explanation in terms of programmatic choice. However, the form itself intends to maximise sun exposure, while also keeping the space ventilated, only enclosing what needs to be enclosed.
1. Ferrocement Wall
2. Vertical Wooden Structural Member
3. Metal Flashing
4. Polycarbonate Skylight Window Composition - consisting of a 3m x 2m panel supported by wooden framing
5. Horizontal Wooden Structural Member
6. Cut Hole for Door behind Metal Roofing
7. Corrugated Metal Roof Shell
8. Vertical Wooden Structural Members Supporting Polycarbonate Skylight Window
9. Wooden Battens
10. Vertical Wooden Structural Member
11. Trench Cut to direct water flow away from building
12. Wooden-framed Floor
13. 750mm Concrete Pillars
A public school (the American meaning of this) and flexible public space. This civic program is crucial to the scheme as it allows children access to this space as well as first hand learning of the ecosystem, and accessibility to clean water. The flexible space at the ground level of this vessel can be used for a myriad of purposes in order to make it a space that can be closed or open, depending on its usage.
1. Polycarbonate Curtain Wall
2. Metal Stair
3. Horizontal Wooden Beam
4. Corrugated Metal Roof Shell 5. Roof Structure Assembly
6. Acoustic Ceiling
7. Vertical Framing Components
8. Flexible Doors
9. Wooden Shutters and supporting wooden frame
10. Wooden Floor Framing
11. 750mm Concrete Pillars
This is the more flexible market of the two market programs. The furniture used in this module is primarily unfixed, apart from the sinks that one can use to clean their produce and fish (a nod to Satoyama). This vessel also has a storage undercarriage underneath the attached elevated walkway that can be used to store said movable furniture in order to use the space for other purposes or to clean up at the end of the day.
1. Built-in Storage Unit
2. Wooden Walkway
3. Corrugated Metal Roof
4. Roof Structure Assembly
5. Vertical Framing Components
6. Wooden Flooring
7. Wooden Floor Framing
8. Vertical Structure supporting walkway above and storage unit below
9. Vertical Metal Rods acting as a separator between walkway and flexible market
10. Horizontal Structural Member
11. Vertical Structural Member
This is the more permanent market of the two market programs. The furniture used in this module is primarily fixed. A long sink designed to wash and prepare the fish before selling it allows the sales people to efficiently sell their product while also integrating a system that moves from chamber to market, allowing for interactivity of spaces.
1. Bridge leading from settlement to the vessel
2. Wooden Shutters
3. Corrugated Metal Roof Shell
4. Roof Structure Assembly
5. Structural Framing supporting wooden shutters
6. Structural Framing Supporting bridge between markets
7. Bridge leading in between markets
8. Wooden Flooring (unseen- supported by wooden framing and concrete footing
9. Vertical Framing Supporting bridge leading from settlement to the vessel
