From congestion to decongestion: displacement of flows of goods in the last-mile transition from land to sea

Abstract

Agitation takes control when distance collapses. Contrast of different states of existence and change of the environment are easier to detect than those constant ones. Drawn from climatic, geopolitical and socio-economic scenarios of the North Sea, intermodal transport of goods, particularly the last-mile which crosses land-sea boundaries, will be prone to climatic threats such as storms, as well as social upheavals. Therefore, alongside sustaining the smooth transitions, there lies the need for managing risks. The project looks into the double sides of a coin during the flow of goods around these boundaries: connection - flows of materials in the North Sea - and disconnection or contingency that breaks the chain. Investigations of spatial mechanisms of the two dimensions, namely the logistic space and the congested space, show antithetic ideas for chances. This gap can be merged under the condition of contingency. A critical reflection on the existing displacement stratety provides the counter-model for the project’s territorial gesture. By joining the act of displacement and the act of conglomeration, an annex island is envisioned: the delightful infrastructure, the labyrinthine city and low-key architecture.