Martin, C. L., 2008.

Event Month MSA

Synergy City:
The quest for solar generated niche within the urban forest

MSA Event Month Unit

Dr Craig Lee Martin

Background & Vision

With initial reference to ‘The Synergy Crystal’ and ‘Phenotypic Plasti-City’ two climatically derived urban forms this workshop will use a mapping of city and nature in order to grow a solar city. By reinterpreting forest light gap dynamics and recognizing the natural forest and synthetic city as intensified, light stratified systems, grown through a sequential process of ‘succession’ this workshop will generate various form ‘niche’ that identifies a flexible sunlight and daylight strategy for the development of urban brownfield sites.

The understanding of solar and urban geometries are critical during this exercise as their synergy will present a futuristic vision of a solar city invading post-industrial biocidic landscapes. Envisage a solar metropolis that displays both light and shade avoidance strategies, akin to leaf chloroplasts. By employing an opportunistic r -strategy aspect societies of solar development could rapidly exploit light gaps within the urban overstorey, canopy, and understorey.

The city is now inter-seasonal and expands like a snow buttercup during each equinox to intercept the sun’s warmth, later releasing heat through district heat stores. Consider a wave-generated city that meanders across the skyline, continually adapting to changing environmental and programmatic contexts. Beneath the understorey solar-citizens are reacquainted with solar orientation and bio-rhythms as building typology and faceted forms reveal direction. Imagine a mutualistic network of solar communities undergoing varying seres of succession, each an energy hub dispersed throughout a city that ends in Polyclimax. Finally, future growth is now reliant on an ability to be sustained by an ecological niche within a forest-inspired masterplan that adapts to daily and seasonal environmental forces and rhythms.


Aims & Objectives

The daily and seasonal mapping of sun and earth (latitude, azimuth, and altitude), Barcelona and Manchester site information will facilitate the generation of solar niche.
The 3D visualization of solar energy and its future potential (AutoCAD skills are an advantage, physical model making skills will be improved).
The understanding of active and passive solar technologies along with their provision within the sustainable city.


Short Biography

As a Lecturer in Bioclimatic Labs (Manchester School of Architecture) Dr Martin has extensively researched climatically derived urban form in Northern European locations. More recent investigations are now being advanced through biomimetic methodologies that offer new visions of urban sustainability. Having recently presented a paper at the Passive & Low Energy Conference in Singapore (www.arch.nus.edu.sg/plea2007/index.asp) Dr Martin is keen to convey this work to the School via workshop lectures and projects.

Related Research:   Craig Martin  

Liverpudlian Niche, Ricky Tam, Michael Groves, and John Roberts (Year 3 BA Students)

Mancunian Niche, Alex Shovelton (Year 3 BA Student)

A Mancunian Polyclimax, Phenotypic Plasti-City.