Urban Insectival AutomationSam McBride

Urban Insectival AutomationSam McBrideTactical Urbanism versus Adaptive Urbanism and the MegacityDrury UniversitySpring 2014 - Senior Thesis StudioPresentation BoardsModels

In 2050 the world’s population will swell to 8.9 billion, greater percentages living in urban areas with severe economic polarization. Climate change causes issues ranging from more frequent and more severe natural disasters, to food and power shortages. Viable space within the city becomes more difficult to obtain and maintain. In the cities of the future, systems that deliver power, information, goods and people, will be under the authority of the wealthy and powerful - control the infrastructure, control the city. The cities will effectively be given to this hegemony, forcingforcing those marginalized into gray-zones, with less access and support, revoking their rights to the city.

Adaptive Urbanism re-establishes people’s control of infrastructural systems to once again serve the marginalized. The system adapts existing systems, finding unused, underused, and misused spaces, optimizing them for reuse.

Urban Insectival Automotion proposes a network of robotic insects (ANBots - Auto-Nomadic Bots) that harness the existing infrastructure for new use. They roam the city, collecting data identifying underused and at-risk areas, providing vital necessities to these areas in danger of losing essential liberties. For example, an ANbot traveling by land (ANBot-1-001) may assist on local levels by identifying areas with low food supplies, restoring the land and constructing an urban outpost for community farming. It may also respond on a regional scale by providing coastal fortificationfortification in preparation for a hurricane. An ANBot traveling by air (ANBot-3-001) may identify areas with high air pollutants and assist in air scrubbing, or it may find places of darkness, offering light through bioluminescence. An ANBot traveling by water (ANBot-2-001) may purify and distribute drinking water to areas in need, or offer transportation through areas with high flooding levels. Capable of combining with each other, the ANBots swarm on the landscape, formations shifting depending on each situation.

The Information Collective and ANBot Factory provides space for research, fabrication, and development of future models. Each appendage displays a different stage in the developments of the system, the center being their convergence point. All information delivered to and sent from the Information Collective goes through the inverted cone, a place where the systems information can be used by the public and the systems processes are on display. The Collective allows the system to evolve over time, adding complexities and keeping pace with the changing patterns of earth and its people.of earth and its people.

URBAN INSECTIVAL AUTOMATION

KARACHI, Pakistan

Kolkata, west bangal

MANILA, PHILippinesMUMBAI, india

osaka, japantokyo, japan

BANKOK, THAILAND

SHANGHAI, CHINA

BEIGING, CHINA

NEW DELHI, INDIA

DHAKA, bangladesh

seoul, korea

Lagos, nigeria

LONDON, United kingdom

LOS angeles, usa

MEXICO city, mexico

MOSCOw, russia

RIO de janeiro, brazil

New York, USA

BOGOTA, COLUMBIA

BEUNOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

CAIRO, EGYPT

ISTANBUL, TURKEY

KINShasa/BRAZZAVILLE, CONGO

san paulo, brazil

1995 2012

City as control

Tactical urbanism

Adaptive Urbanism

The problemTHE SOLUTION

Development as control Resulting gray area (Marginalized zone) Desired control shift

Current control scheme

Hegemonic Marginal

Hegemonic Marginal

Urban scale with localized effects Proactive but responsive Adaptive but adaptable Desired urban structure

ADAPTIVE URBANISM

Occupants

Current Infrastructure

Auto-Nomadic Bots

Information Collective and A-NB Factory

Design ObjectivesUrban scale with localized effectsProactive yet responsiveAdaptive and adaptable

Downfalls to Future SuccessSmall-Scale InterventionTemporary EffectsParticular Public

World population2000 - 6.1 Billion2050 - 8.9 BILLION

Tactical urbanism is a means in which infrastructures within the city are captured and used by the marginalized society based on their needs and wants rather than those of the hegemonic.

Current infrastructures are typically understood as physical channels that connect one space with another, enabling the passage and transfer of people and goods. They (infrastructures) are primarily considered important because they are channels for economic exchange, making them the sinews of power and lines of control. At its dictionary definition, infrastructure is: the basic, underlying framework or features of a system or organization - the fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area, as transportation and communication systems, power plants, and schools.16 This is describing an incredibly rigid intervention, laying the groundwork and serving as the foundation for society to exist and grow atop of. However, this understanding of infrastructure, whether intentional or not, contradicts and contains the complexities of the social superstructure, essentially putting it (society) within a container and establishing a rather banal set of parameters we must exist within. For this reason we have to move beyond this traditional understanding, pushing towards a new infrastructure that is bottom-up in nature, relying on the social superstructure to inform its function and implementation.

We must begin to understand infrastructures as something more adaptive. Adaptive in the sense that the system seeks to adapt the current infrastructures, it finds those unusable, unsuitable and controlling situations created by current infrastructures, and changes them, allows them to be occupied in a way that directly relates to the general public. It divorces itself from something merely economic, becoming a sinew for life and occupation. It must be understood as adaptable in the sense that the spaces the system creates can adjust for a multitude of uses for different times, purposes, and people. It must tap into ideas of networking on all levels (social, political, economic) and change depending on the needs of those networks.

We have to understand infrastructures as something on the urban scale, but with localized effects. They must be able to adjust themselves in relation to the entire city, analyzing the entire urban condition while still understanding their effects on a more micro scale. Inevitable shifting control from the hegemonic to the marginalized.

Sam McBride - Senior Thesis Studio- Maurizio Sabini - Spring 2014Tactical Urbanism vs Adaptive Urbanism: a new infrastructureInsectival Automation

0 250000 500000 750000 1250000

URBANIZED ZONE Hegemonic society MARGINALIZED SOCIETY RIVER ACCESS INTERSTATE ACCESS RAIL CONNECTIONREGIONAL ANALYSIS

BOSTON

NEW YORK CITY

PHILADELPHIA

BALtimore

washington DC

190.5 miles

80.5 miles

90 miles

32.25 miles

New York CityBoston

23,362,0997,600,000

PhiladelphiaBaltimoreWashington DC

11,547,6073,312,2286,350,397

projected population growth2010 - 52.3 million2025 - 58.4 million2050 - 70.8 million

Rolling Power Shortages

Flood Zones

Rising Heat Index

Air Pollution and SMOG

Hurricane and Inclement Weather

Clean Water Shortage

Agricultural Contamination And Shortage

Social Unrest and Urbicide

War and Immediate Attack

Power Generation

Large Scale Distribution

Power Outpost for Community Scale Distribution

Distribution for Individual Buildings

Retro-Fit Existing Power Systems

Alternatives to Fossil Fuel Consumption

Urban Lighting

Water Remediation and Displacement

Structural Repair and Displacement

Structural Creation

Debris Cleanup

Evacuation

Public Oasis

Mass Air Purification

Community Air Outpost

Individual Building Air Quality

Notification and Alert

Prevention and Protection from Damage

Evacuation

Shelter and Protection

Rescue

EMT and Emergency Supply

Structural Repair

Structural Creation

Water Purification

Large Scale Distribution

Community Water Outpost

Single Building Distribution

Immediate Supply

Community Based Urban Farming

Immediate Supply

Soil Reclamation and Cleaning

Protection

Rescue

Evacuation

Structural Repair

Structural Creation

EMT and Emergency Supply

Public Outpost

Protection

Rescue

Evacuation

Structural Repair

Structural Creation

EMT and Emergency Supply

Air ScrubbingIodide DispersalSolid Fuel Engines

Human CarriageSupply CarriageTransportationAircraft

WindKinetics Supply Carriage

ClawDebris StorageDebris Transportation

Beioluminescence

Existing Air Conditioning Retro-fit

Canvas Enclosure

SoundEmergency Lights

Public HookupsRemote Connections

Air SupplySupply CarriageSupply Storage

SolarKinetics

Biolumincesence

Mesh ExpansionHydroponic DistributionSoil Farming

Tensegrity CompressionDigging

SoundEmergency LightsRepair

Reconnection

Existing Power Structure Retro-fit

Well-Like

Supply CarriageClawDebris StorageDebris Transportation

Existing Building Plug-in

TensegritySuspensionPylon Supply Carriage

Supply StorageBoat

Human CarriageSupply CarriageTransportationBoat

DammingWater StorageWater MovementWater Distribution

Well-LikeWater ManeHookups

Public HookupsRemote Connection

Supply Carriage

Direct Hook To Power Grid

Tensegrity CompressionDigging

Canvas Enclosure

Phytoremediation

Movement Filtration

HydroKinetics

Bioluminescence

Tensegrity CompressionDigging

SoundEmergency Lights

swarm-LIKE INSTINCTS MASS COMPUTINGInsectival instincts

Design ObjectivesREGIONAL coordination with local effects

URBAN BASE

Seek adaptable conditions

Promote adaptive lifestyle

Proactive yet responsive

Ubiquitous computation and implementation

Auto-Nomadic Bots

A-NB Taxonomy

A-NB-3-001Air

A-NB-1-001LAND

A-NB-2-001Water

Spider StriderCarnegie Mellon

Aqua2Gregory Dudek

Drone 1-001-1Elie Ahovi

StrandBeestsTheo Jansen

LS3/RHEX/SandFleaBoston Dynamics

Tensegrity RoverNASA

Flying JellyfishLief Ristroph

SkycallSense-able City Lab

Cloud Skippers/CityStudio Lindfors

Power GenerationLarge Scale Power DistributionCommunity Scale Power OutpostPower Distribution to Individual BuildingsPrevention and Protection from Damage Retro-fit Existing Power StructureUrban LightingStructural Repair

Power GenerationAlternatives to Fossil FuelsUrban LightingWater Remediation and DisplacementDebris Clean-upEvacuationNotification and alertRescue

Power GenerationCommunity Power OutpostAlternatives to Fossil FuelsUrban LightingDebris Clean-upEvacuationPublic OasisMass Air Purification

Water PurificationLarge Scale Water DistributionCommunity Water OutpostSingle Building Water DistributionImmediate SupplyCommunity Urban FarmingEMT and Emergency Supply

Community Air OutpostIndividual Building Air QualityNotification and AlertEvacuationRescueEMT and Emergency SupplyCommunity Water OutpostImmediate SupplyCommunity Post

Structural CreationDebris Clean-upCommunity Air OutpostNotification and AlertShelter and protectionCommunity Urban FarmingImmediate SupplySoil Reclamation and Cleaning

25.75 MIles

90 MIles

80.5 MIles

New York City

PHILADELPHIA

BALTIMORE

NEWBOLDISLAND

van sciverlake

tellytownlandfill

tellytownlandfill

tellytownlandfill

MANorlake

tullytowncove

84,913 People

1,872 people

12,109 PEOPLE

52,983 PEOPLE

8,728 people

trenton, nj

levittown, pa

tullytown, pa

florence, nj

US STEELTERMINAL

US STEEL KEYSTONeINDUSTRIAL PORT COMPLEX

BILESISLAND

MERCER generationstation

WATER TREATMENTFACILITY

ROEBLINGMEMORIAL PARK

MOONISLAND

MORRISVILLE, PA

DELE

WARE

RIV

ER

2.25 MILES

0.75 MILES

0 100000 200000 300000 500000

0 1650 3300 4950 7950

URBANIZED ZONE Hegemonic society MARGINALIZED SOCIETY RIVER ACCESS INTERSTATE ACCESS RAIL CONNECTIONSUB-REGIONAL ANALYSIS

Information Collective and A-NB Factory

LOCAL ANALYSIS

Design ObjectivesManufacture and deploy

Marginal ownership

Social center

Open information

Adaptive conditions

AdministrationFactoryLocker roomRepair zoneTest/public shopResearchSimulation zoneStorageDistribution channelsCafeteria

Data storageAdministrationProcessing zoneCafeteriaInformation libraryVisualization roomLECTURE (large)Lecture (small)Board RoomConference room

ResidentialCommercialPublic/cultural

Parking (commercial and public)Roads (commercial and public)Rail (industrial and Public)Port (industrial)Energy GenerationWater purification and use

15,000 ft2 (30 People)1,000,000 FT210,000 FT2150,000 FT2250,000 FT237,500 FT2 (150 People)50,000 FT250,000 Ft230,000 FT27,500 FT2 (750 People)

250,000 ft215,000 FT2 (30 people)23,000 FT2 (250 people)1,500 FT2 (500 People)50,000 FT210,000 FT27,500 ft2 (750 people)1,800 ft2 (150 People)1,000 ft22,500 ft2

35%15%50%

Component Factory

Information Collective

LivableZone

InfrastructuralConsiderations

Information Library

DISTRIBUTION

FACTORY

REPAIR STORAGE

LOCKER

SIMULATION

RESEARCH

TEST/PUBLIC SHOPPROCESSING

DATA STORAGE

VISUALIZATION

LECTURE

Conference

BRL2

CAFETERIA

RESTADMIN

CAFETERIA REST

ADMIN

FACTORYSpace for the construction of each component.

REPAIR ZONEZone dedicated to the repair of returning components for re-distribution.

TEST/PUBLIC SHOPSpace for researches as well as the public to construct and test pieces for component use.

RESEARCHResearch facility for researches to explore new ideas for component use and construction.

SIMULATION ZONEA zone emulating a urban context in which the component use and integration can be tested.

DISTRIBUTION CHANNELThe means to deploy and conduct final tests and checks.

DATA STORAGESpace for the storage of servers, processors and antennas to assist with the gathering and storage of data.

PROCESSING ZONEZone for researchers to process, understand and visualize data for distribution.

INFORMATION LIBRARYLibrary of digital information from the data center for public access.

VISUALIZATION ROOMRoom for delegation and the public to see real time mapping of the city.

Tokyo Bay: Master-planKenzo Tange

PrecedentsPlug-in CityPeter Cook, Archigram

Floating City 2030:Thames Estuary Aquatic UrbanismAnthony Lau

Information Collective and A-NB Factory

Site Plan

trenton, nj

Morrisville, PA

Local Rail StopLight Rail to Site

Local Rail StopLight Rail to Site

Road Access to Site

Freight Rail

Local Rail StopRecreation

Boat Access

Local Rail StopHousing

DELEWARE RIVER

Local RailConnection to Regional Rail

Local Rail Stop

US STEEL KEYSTONeINDUSTRIAL PORT COMPLEX

Mercer GenerationStation

Water TreatmentFacility

Van SciverLake

MoonIsland

RoeblingMemorial Park

0 500 1000 1500 2500

Site Plan/Added infrastructure

Site Section: Core/Regional Rail Connection

From Rail Stop - Housing

From Rail Stop - Recreation

Looking Towards Core From Light Rail

Site Aerial - Towards Trenton

Appendage/Core Plan

0 30 60 90 150

Parallel Appendage/Core Section

Repair Bay/Appendage Corridor

Terminal Levels/Pedestrian and Freight Drop-ff

Through Core Towards Appendage

Appendage/Core Plan

0 30 60 90 150

Parallel Appendage/Core Section

Repair Bay/Appendage Corridor

Terminal Levels/Pedestrian and Freight Drop-ff

Through Core Towards Appendage

Public Platform

Vehicular Access/Recreation Link

Freight Rail/Industrial Link

Light Rail/Pedestrian Link

Core Level Two

Core Level Eight

Core Level Thirteen

0 15 30 45 75

Typical for floor one through six

Level Seven

Typical for floor Seven through Twelve

Typical for floor Thirteen through Fifteen

All Core levels

Above terminal platforms1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Perpendicular Appendage Section

Pedestrian Platform/Core Entrance

Looking Up Towards the Core

Core Section

Core Interior/Circulation LandingLight Rail Platform Across River

StartModels

Sam McBride