Performance Architecture: Garbage

Abstract:
The North Pacific Garbage Patch is collection of plastic debris that has been filling up in the center of the ocean's gyre since the invention of the material. Instead of leaving this 'seafill' to continue to grow, we can instead turn this problem into a resource. This location offers three opportunities to take advantage of; this 'plastic sand' that has collected could be recycled and utilized while cleaning up the ocean, the forces of nature coupled with the substantial area of the open ocean could be exercised to generate electrical energy, and its geographic location provides a central transportation hub for airplanes and cargo ships that traverse the Pacific.

Context/Problem/Challenge/Opportunity:

Process:

Considering actions are underway to help prevent further oceanic littering, the question then becomes how do we begin to clean up the existing mess? Physical collection is virtually impossible due to the small size of particulate, being the same size as zooplankton that inhabit the sea, making separation of them difficult. Collection through ionization, though, is an extremely viable option, using harmless low-voltage currents in the water to ionize particulates, which are attracted to the source of the electric current and accumulates on the source through accretion. Though slow, this strategy allows collection of the plastic without unnecessary harm to oceanic life, as well as turning the problem into something beneficial. The material produced through the process of accretion is structurally similar to concrete, and can be molded into any sort of form, as the material grows on the metal frame from which the electric current originates.

Also, by taking advantage of both the spaciousness of the open ocean, electrical energy can be collected through wind, wave, and solar power. By tripling the energy collection for a fixed area, large amounts of electricity can be accrued to power the structure as well as sell on the open market. Because of the patch's geographic centrality, lying directly between Los Angeles and Tokyo, the vessel could also serve as a transportation hub, providing services for both seafaring ships and airplanes. This will provide consumers for the energy generated as well as a means for transportation of the reclaimed-plastic forms to shore, where they can then be utilized for various construction purposes, such as columns for offshore wind farms, alternatives for pre-fab concrete forms, seawalls for erosion control, etc.

Cargo Shipping Routes