Boston Hydromall / Influx_Studio

Mar 2011

By Sebastian J — Filed under: Sustainability ,Urban Design , Boston, Influx_Studio, USA

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Paris-based Influx_Studio shared with us their project Boston Hydromall, a submission for SHIFTBoston’s first competition. See more images and architect’s description after the break.

Courtesy of Influx_Studio

A Zero Carbon economy
All industrial energy system inscribes its technological order into the urban fabric. What it’s the shape and what will be the urban footprint of the next ZERO CARBON energy economy? Which spatial implications for a “water city” like Boston? The key issue for this present challenge is how we can anticipate Fort Point Channel’s role in new Boston’s green future?

Courtesy of Influx_Studio

A new water landscape
That’s the Shift! Water is still the most appreciated elements of life and one of the most strategic urban resources for city development in a global zero carbon economy. The future of Boston is inseparable from the future of their bay and its waterfront. Water is a driving force that fundamentally shapes the whole character of the city. While the world is looking for possible alternatives to fossil fuels, water is also an unlimited source of energy. Indeed, hydrogen obtained from water hydrolysis has been touted as the basis of a new green energy economy. Our proposal envisions Fort Point Channel as a new Energy Infrastructure at the heart of a symbiotic strategy, irrigated by a brand new solar vessels system, connecting downtown’s commercial waterfront, with South Boston waterfront. Transforming the channel into a real dynamic water gateway, as an ecological infrastructure, it supports new leisure activities, restaurants, floating hotels, art galleries, displaying new water practices and encouraging citizens to help it to become the “next great place in the City of Boston”

Courtesy of Influx_Studio

Hybridizing energy harvesting and urban space
The proposal explores the value of an energy harvesting infrastructure as a design opportunity to catalyze Fort Point’s urban potential hybridizing economy with ecology. The channel as an inner waterfront represent by its central position in Boston, and by its sheltered condition a great opportunity to create an urban hydrogen generator and at the same time a new great urban water place. HYDROMALL has been conceived as a completely integrated, energetic closed loop, using electricity from wind turbines and solar PV panels for producing and storing pure hydrogen. Thanks to the simple but effective superimposition of the “wind forest”, the “solar ribbons” and the “algae roof”. These three systems of energy harvesting are situated alongside the channel, and they taking advantage of architectural, landscape and urban potential of all of it, with a very few elements of a high technical accuracy, the proposal creates an open urban support to develop water activities and a new dynamic economical tissue for whole city.