KNIL Magazijnen, The Creative and Learning Cluster of Plastic Waste

Abstract

The transformation of Knil Magazijnen into a creative and learning cluster of plastic waste constitutes my attempt to explore the boundaries of heritage adaptive re-use in Bandung, Indonesia and how through the design of an inclusive and healthy environment, social and environmental challenges can be addressed in a more integrated way. In a built environment like the city of Bandung where social segregation between the formally structured communities and the more organic kampung villages dominates the city scape contributing to a significant extent to most of the urban challenges like environmental pollution the projects strives for inclusion. The project's ambition was to show how by understanding the context and by putting first the people and their needs, architecture and heritage adaptive re-use can contribute to healthier and more resilient cities. More specifically, the project unfolds with the integration of a plastic waste recycling cycle combined with a more communal environment, with creative spaces and educational facilities that not only makes people aware of the issue, the consequences but also allows waste to become part of the daily routine and thus for the people to explore the possibilities around its re-use and up-cycling and thus create business opportunities in a inclusive environment for all. The combination of bottom up and top down approaches both in terms of the programme but also in the physical materialisation of the design offers the means for change. Architecturally, the project explores the relationship between waste and people between working and public environment between openness and enclosure in various different scales. From city scale with the transformation of the former railway into a new tram line accompanied by a green belt, on a neighbourhood scale with the transformation of Knil Magazinjen into a creative and learning cluster of plastic waste, while on a building scale this integration is explored through architectural design and building technology. Even though the programme addresses the current urban challenges the development and materialisation of the design strives for flexibility and adaptability in order to enhance the qualities of the existing site.