Examining the role of edible landscapes in reducing climate pressure on the wetlands through a foraged food production hub.

I believe it is time for the built environment to take upon itself the responsibility to reduce climate pressure that is currently destroying the ecology of this planet. The forests are burning, the sea levels are rising, the polar bears are dying and we still choose to use harmful materials in our buildings, we choose to turn away from the realities that surround us, we choose to ignore the signs of climate change, we choose to turn a blind eye to flooding, we choose.

It has and will always be a choice. It is time for us to intervene, to choose to shift our focus, and take proactive actions to stop the damage, rehabilitate, and embrace a vision towards an eco-centric future. An ecology-centric future would be one where all design decisions, the programme, use and ethos of the project is focused on the betterment of the ecology its situated in.

The thesis adopts this stance and will strive towards this vision. Carmarthen, the county town of Carmarthenshire, sits along River Tywi, and has been subject to extensive flooding over the last few decades. The overwhelming nature of the floods have given them a reputation of avoidance within the town, as something that constraints the town significantly. Floods have been occurring for centuries, but for the past two decades their increased intensity has left the town susceptible to large scale damages. This is due to global warming, and we must accept that the floods will continue to happen, and probably get more intense with time. The thesis is born in response to this urgency, and communicates the imperative need for change in the way we treat, use and mitigate the floods. To achieve this, an edible landscape strategy located in the Morfa Wetlands of Carmarthen is proposed. Research into wetland rehabilitation and regeneration provided guidance for the type of plants that would grow best in the wetland soil and would have a high water requirement to soak up the excess flood water. A series of pavilions scattered across the wetland landscape is proposed, nestled with the edible, forage patches between them.

The building’s design ethos would be eco-centric, as its use and programme would be oriented towards supporting and providing for the landscape. The materials would be clean, sustainable, locally sourced and biodegradable, to respond most sensitively to the wetland landscape. The design would aim towards conveying a ‘planet first’ message to its users through its tectonics, form, and use. It becomes key for the building to become a reminder for why and how are we working towards our goal, and explores ways in which the ideologies and urgency can be propagated.