Technical framework and objectives for recycling Aleppo’s emergency waste

The substantial amount of concrete waste generated from regular (non-emergency) construction and demolition works as well as emergency states such as wars and natural disasters poses a great threat to the environment in terms of increase in quarrying demand and diminishing landfilling space. A technical study was conducted and involved estimating construction and demolition quantities, building a GIS model for recycling module siting, and carrying out an economic assessment for the case of Syria. The GIS model considers environmental and transportation objectives as well as a time frame to process all the emergency waste. The competitive price for recycled concrete aggregate alleviates the pressure from quarrying natural aggregate and renders the recycled material an attractive commodity.

The module operational system: Macro versus micro

The proposal holds a modular system that allows it to react flexibly to different locations through site responsive configurations. Eleven modules are to be implemented within Aleppo on seven proposed sites in 100 % damaged zones. Together they inhabit a network of urban voids aiming to rebuild the city from within. On a practical level, it consumes nearby waste, processes it, and transforms it to usable material. On a civic level, it ensures newfound prosperity in local job opportunities while providing a cultural platform for public engagement. Its temporary nature allows it to leave a minimal trace in its context.

Architecture of temporal functional transformation

The architectural quality and aesthetics rethink a conventional recycling facility into an operational modular system consisting of human scale structures. Catering to different functional and spatial zones, its rhythmic planning and proportions complement the neighborhood by creating circulation routes shaped by the adjacent context. The module form is true to its construction method while holding different possibilities of enclosure, thus reconfiguring the constant skeleton into spaces of different experiences. The anchoring foundations of the module on the other hand, are the only permanent elements and are designed in the form of public benches. They are created from the rubble within, envisioning a potential future where the space is reclaimed into a breathing point in the city.