VILLANOVA HARBOUR

Marine pollution is one of the most critical issues we face in the current era: this phenomenon affects every corner of the planet Earth and it impacts the organized society on everyday bases. The consequences of such pollution are already changing ecosystems and our lifestyles. It is our duty to become aware of the problem, plan new solutions and act promptly. For this reason, when given the opportunity, we opted to propose design ideas that would constitute the basis of a new housing paradigm.

We should not aim at creating a world without waste, but at developing a plethora of complex solutions in order to improve the materials’ life-cycle regulations, enhance technological research, promote the citizens involvement and the active participation of the industries in the definition of improved development strategies.

With these objectives in mind we designed Searcle, a project based on the principles of the circular economy, where the protection of the seas meets the theme of sustainability. Circular economy builds on the concepts of reduced consumption, use of non-disposable products and the search for alternative materials with a lower environmental footprint. Searcle is compelled with different levels of design: on the one hand it addresses the urban dimension through the redevelopment of a port area, on the other hand new architectural proposals add a residential dimension to the project.