Kaiju Kudzu
Sustainable: able to be used without being completely used up or destroyed [1]
Introduction
Today’s common understanding of ecology is an ideology mystified by the illusion that nature is a harmonious system perturbed by human hubris—as a result, society and ecologists reject trash, dismissing it as something to eliminate rather than something to incorporate [2].
This project challenges the notion of a sustainable architecture that can exist only within an ideal and predefined system, and places it within the ‘real’ ecological context.
Rather than re-inventing an entirely new system, or being constrained to using the louvers in their common application as walls, the proposal explores the sustainability of re-using the 900 x 900 mm louver module using it’s destruction as a strategy for construction and design.
Details (Sustainable, Small, Fast, Misunderstood)
Destroying: The crunching happens in general locations and orientation to generate 4 varying structurally self-supported modules. These elements are able to aggregate using the existing joint detail; and through rotation and multiplication, the architecture is able to change size and shape, and therefore accommodate a range of sites and functions.
Growing: Kudzu (kuzu) sustains itself by tapping into water, which it will get by extending its network of roots into the porous water retaining bricks. Growing at 30-60 cm a day, it tends towards sunlight in order to optimize its own nutrition; reciprocally shading whatever it encloses to a maximum.
The Monster: Trash and Kudzu alike have been labeled noxious—much like a friendly monster that is misunderstood because of its appearance and reputation. Esthetically deceptive, the combination of seemingly destroyed metal and harmful vine foreground issues of appearance, understanding,
Ending Notes:
The proposed prototype is not an architecture, but rather a system. It is designed around the adaptability ease and flexibility that small architecture necessitates. By using the existing modules and industrial processes as well as a low-maintenance plant native to Japan we consider this new ecological approach to be the redefining and acceptance of a real sustainability.
Credits:
Competition: GreenBiz 2015.
Concept and developement: Deborah Lopez, Hadin Charbel.
Image credits: Deborah Lopez, Hadin Charbel.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/76e7ba995e0b45a68a58746cd06cea9da342edc4d9871ac9427b4fe17acd0370/kk_3_web.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7d84174c6172dc2579a82e3d8b0b550579709bb63cbf41e1d908e845532123d1/kk_1_web.jpg)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d7905abecc1d07a872f1079493002470c5f27eb72e0206cf252acf26b7c4e62f/kk_4_web.jpg)
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![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1b72a38e3cba79788f0d0ddabe14099936efdfcbb9f52a1436239352594cb2fd/kk_2_web.jpg)