OCEAN WASTE REFUGE - Citizens Science Pavilion for Nordic Ocean Watch (NOW)
The Ocean Waste Refuge aims to inspire solutions to marine pollution through circular economy and systemic change. In the floating pavilion by Bjørvika, school children, students, businesses, and residents gain a hands-on experience of the issue of marine pollution through citizen science: converting waste collected from cleanup actions into data for decision-makers. The visit discusses the reasons why plastic ends up astray and explores solutions involving the community, authorities, and the business sector. With pilot funds from the Oslo Agency for Urban Environment (Oslo municipality), the environmental collective Nordic Ocean Watch (NOW) initiated a collaborative effort across academia, business, and volunteers to realize a pilot project as a forerunner for a permanent establishment in the near future. Designed and built by students from the Circular Prototyping studio at the Institute of Architecture, the pavilion offers a digital engagement solution outside of opening hours, developed by interaction design students at the Institute of Design.
Equally important to the design-build process has been the understanding of plastic as a material, its qualities, and challenges. In 2016, the fishing industry produced approximately 4,000 tons of plastic waste, of which only 26% was recycled. The industry replaces its ropes about every five years. Some of it is delivered to Oceanize, which grinds it up and supplies re-granulate for new production. Serving as a resource refuge for re-granulate, this makes the pavilion an example of what is necessary to prevent plastic from becoming pollution or being burned. With the pavilion project as a testing ground, a value chain was established where Oceanize delivered their re-granulate to Pla-Mek, who offered to produce panels using an injection mold borrowed from Hofseth Aqua, thus providing a circular product as a starting point for the pavilion's design development.
The roof's design, reminiscent of the ocean surface, is made up of shaded white and green plates. The green plates are molded from discarded ropes, while the white ones are production errors that would otherwise be discarded and burned. The shading results from the transition from white to green plastic in the mold. This transition, usually discarded, has been preserved and turned into an opportunity: The plates are arranged to mimic white sea foam on a green sea! The walls provide protection from the sun and weather but can be slid aside for views of the fjord and visibility from the shore. Inside, NOW can install shelves or leave the benches underneath free for use. In the center stands a table developed by NOW for categorizing waste. The floating dock is rented, and the timber construction can be assembled and disassembled with hand tools, transported, and set up in another location. This ensures the pavilion an extended life, and a design manual allows NOW to scale the concept or create duplicates elsewhere.
With lifecycle methodology as integral to architectural design development, different aspects of material usage and construction principles accompany the architectural design decision-making to provide sound environmental results. Findings are conveyed in in-depth reports where the students are reflecting upon circular opportunities for resource efficiency as well as discussing barriers and knowledge gaps. These findings can again guide industry and aid innovation on the path to sound environmental solutions fit for a sustainable future.
The pavilion is open by appointment and on selected open days. Other curious visitors can scan a QR code and visit the digital portal. The digital solution visualizes and contextualizes national cleanup data from Marfo – Centre against Marine Pollution, through recognizable situations. When people become aware of how littering occurs, they recognize and reflect on it in their own lives. Marfo, which publishes cleanup data in tables and graphs, uses the prototype as inspiration for how to better communicate marine pollution to residents and decision-makers.
Images and Plans
Technical Description
The pavilion, designed for a floating rig measuring 7.00 by 11.50 meters, is strategically positioned at the heart of Oslo, in close proximity to key landmarks including the Oslo Central Station, the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, and the Deichman Main Library in Bjørvika.
This structure is engineered to accommodate larger groups, such as school classes of around 30 individuals, necessitating a lightweight design and balanced load distribution to ensure stability on the water. The timber frame's base is set back one meter from the float's shorter edges, creating sheltered areas for the city side entrance and the fjord-facing kayak access point. The pavilion's roof extends beyond the float's dimensions, accentuating its striking expression of the roof while also offering protection from the rain at both entrances. The arrangement of columns and beams is informed by the client's need for a spacious, open area for educational purposes, alongside requirements for storage and the display of sorted city waste. The adoption of the plastic panel (tray) measurements has fostered a constructive approach wherein the fixed roof, sliding façade system, and shelving units synergize to create a versatile and adaptable climate barrier. The roof is supported by 11 beams that double as gutters, channeling rainwater back into the fjord.
The design of the pavilion addresses city waste management, offering a space bathed in natural light with a 'perforated' roof that facilitates air circulation. It is intended to create a social environment that encourages engagement with environmental issues, while still maintaining a connection to the fjord and passersby along the quay.
Initially, the project was to utilize shorter timber studs from a demolition site for its main framework. However, due to supply chain delays, this approach was revised late in the design phase, leading to the use of new timber cut to align with the original recycling concepts outlined in the construction manual's detailed drawings. The entire pavilion was constructed in nine days, through a combination of prefabricated structural components produced in the AHO workshop and on-site assembly of the full frames, 'panels', waste sorting tables, and seating benches. The pavilion is slated for dismantling or potential relocation in late Autumn 2025.