Subject: Re: architecture on water

From: [email-masked] (Daredos)
Date: 28 Jul 1995 11:05:35 -0400

>Does anyone know of any projects that have been done on water. Not boats
or 
anything, but modernist house boat sorta things. I am doing my thesis on
this
type of thing, but am having trouble finding examples

Hello,
I think you might be interested in Seament, a process I have been
discussing with several others online.  I wrote my undergrad thesis on
this subject, i think it  might be of some help.  An abstract:

Marine electrodeposition (MED) is an electrochemical process created when
a direct electrical current is run between electrodes in sea water. 
During electrolysis, minerals will accrete out of solution to a pre-formed
iron cathode, and over time will actually grow into a strong and reliable
material similar to the CaCO3 found in organic bones and shells.  The
“seament” formed around an iron cathode is 30% stronger than conventional
ferroconcrete.  This makes MED a viable construction process that could
revolutionize building systems for both marine and terrestrial structures.

	Important physical and chemical characteristics of MED are
studied, and the benefits of using MED over conventional construction are
given.  Also shown is that building by accretion is a natural process and
thus proves to be environmentally beneficial.  It can restore or create
marine ecosystems, reduce dependence on concrete in developing countries,
reduce waste products, recycle, and offset the greenhouse effect. 
Furthermore, due to the low voltage requirements, alternative energy
sources such as wind, solar, hydrogen, and OTEC are best suited for all
applications.  Some of the marine applications studied include pipelines
and tunnels, land reclamation, erosion control, artificial reefs, and
submarine living spaces.  This thesis attempts to integrate all attributes
of the MED process into a collective system that functions as a
self-sustained community, or autopia.

	Due to the organic nature of MED, seament can drastically alter
our conceptions of building technology and architecture.  When structured
to maintain itself with heuristic building techniques, the marine
architecture can acquire and develop properties of a living system.  MED
as an autotrophic self-sufficient network is site-sensitive, utilizing
material and energy from the surrounding system.  Because MED can be used
as construction and “deconstruction” (i.e. switching the polarity of
electrolysis), a large degree of adaptability and resilience can be
introduced in the architecture.  These cybertectural elements reconciliate
any environmental or man-made changes that occur.  Furthermore, since
cathodes can be sculpted into any desired shape, seament becomes the
perfect material for constructing complex architecture or amorphous forms.
 Thus, otherwise non-buildable designs can be created past a conceptual
scheme and built in a manner as dynamic as the environment that
encapsulates it.

If this at all interests you, feel free to contact me via e-mail to
discuss any related topics.  If you would like a copy of my thesis please
let me know.  Thanks and keep dreaming, and good luck

Daren
You  might also want to check out a book called The Millenial Project, by
Marshal Savage.  The first section deals with colonizing the ocean.

---

From: Dennis Shinn <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 1995 12:48:06 -0700

On 28 Jul 1995, Daredos wrote:

> , but modernist house boat sorta things.

See if your local library has any books about Seattle houseboats. We've 
got quite a few striking examples floating around here (pun intended! -g-)

Dennis Shinn / [email-masked]
SAUG-BBS [206] 644-7115 
The Professional CAD & Graphics Network PCGNet 9:517/215