Karlijn Besse
Architectural Engineering: Harvest
Rehabilitating the Anthropocene - A holistic approach to the redevelopment of the industrial site of Shell-Pernis during the energy transition
The issues of environmental challenges, increasing per capita demand and decreasing finite stocks are triggering the demand for greener alternatives in resource production and consumption. In the search for renewable production landscapes, the current situation of pollution and contamination cannot be neglected. In order to clean soils and provide feedstock for a proposed biorefinery, a set of 25 different plant species has been contrived, which form building blocks for ecological interventions to transform a deteriorated, fossil-based industrial site into an accessible eco-industrial park. These interventions follow the rule of multiple functions, as all plants provide various ecosystem services, such as production of biofuels, bioremediation, attracting wildlife, fixating nitrogen, preventing erosion and other additional benefits. This design project shows how Shell-Pernis has the potential to become a flagship site of the green industry where bio-economic and rehabilitating activities are shown to the world at large in order to educate and stimulate sustainable growth.